Newlyweds
by Broadway007
Summary: Jane and Maura go undercover as a couple on quiz show for newlyweds to find someone they believe is a serial killer. What happens when our favorite leading ladies must act as a couple and prove that they know everything about each other? Loads of fluffy goodness! Runner up for Best Fluff at the Rizzles Fan Awards!
1. Chapter 1

**Hiya! So, this idea popped into my head late a few nights ago so I figured I would at least get it out onto paper. Not sure if I'll publish it but at least the idea will be out of my head. I'm thinking it'll be maybe 5 or so chapters so nothing too long.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"Hey, Frost," Korsak stated as he left Lieutenant Cavanaugh's office after nearly an hour. "What's Rizzoli's favorite color?"

"Uh, black?" Frost guessed.

"Really, Frost? That's your best guess? I'm hurt!" Jane feigned insult.

"Do you know Frost's favorite color?" Korsak asked with a smirk.

"Uh, green?"

"Now I'm the one who's hurt," Frost mocked as he placed a hand over his heart.

Korsak turned his head to lock eyes with Cavanaugh and they both shook their heads at the two detectives.

"Why are you asking if we know each other's favorite colors, Korsak?" Jane asked, noting the way the two older men were making eye contact.

"Small town about an hour and a half away thinks they've got a serial," Cavanaugh said.

"What?" Jane asked, straightening up in her seat and turning to face her lieutenant. "They need our help?"

"Yea, they really do," Cavanaugh sighed. "The town hosts their own version of the Newlywed Game once a month. Broadcasts reach less than a hundred people but the town seems to be quite fond of their little game show. Couples go on the show and answer questions about each other to earn points and the couple with the most points at the end of the show gets a cheesy trophy and a weekend getaway to New York City."

"How does a serial fit into this?" Frost asked.

"According to the mayor, only three couples in the show's history have gotten scores over 3,000 points. Apparently knowing your spouse inside and out isn't as common as you'd think it is," Korsak stated. "3 weeks ago, the first couple who got over 3,000 points was found dead in their townhome. 2 weeks ago the second couple was killed in a suspicious car crash, and last week the most recent couple was found beaten in a park. New Haven has a person of interest but they can't connect him to the murders with anything other than their guts. They reached out to us specifically for help."

"So, what? You want Frost and I to earn over 3,000 points and lure this guy to us and then take 'em down?"

"That was our idea but seeing as how you two don't even know the others favorite color, we might have to think of a new idea," Cavanaugh sighed as he ran a hand over his face.

"Jane's favorite color is a nice deep purple," Maura said as she walked into the squad room with files in her hand. "Here are the reports you asked me to sign, lieutenant," she added as she handed the files to Cavanaugh.

"Thank you, Doctor Isles," Cavanaugh said as he took the reports from Maura. "Is your favorite color really purple, Rizzoli?"

"Yeah," Jane said with a shrug. "Has been since I was a kid. Just like Maura's favorite color has been sea foam green ever since she was a kid."

"It reminds me of summers on the beaches of France," Maura smiled.

Frost, Korsak, and Cavanaugh all watched as Maura walked over to Jane's desk and sat gingerly on the edge of the desk. The three men exchanged looks and smiles and Jane quickly caught on.

"No," Jane said as she stood up from her chair. "I know what you are thinking and the answer is no."

"Jane?" Maura asked, placing a hand on Jane's arm to calm her.

"Just because we know each other's favorite colors does not mean that you can send us on some newlywed undercover game show thing. No. Not when only one of us is a detective and the other can't lie," Jane ordered.

"Undercover?" Maura asked with a smile. "I could do an undercover with you, Jane."

Jane looked into Korsak's eyes and took a deep breath, shooting her former partner a death glare as she did so.

"No," Jane said again as she shook her head firmly. "We're not going undercover, Maura. I think Lieutenant Cavanaugh must have a brain injury because that is the only way to explain why he thinks sending you and I to some random little town to lure a serial killer to us is a super idea."

"Have you hit your head on anything recently?" Maura asked, standing up from the edge of Jane's desk and taking a few steps towards Cavanaugh.

"No," Cavanaugh said as he held a hand up to stop Maura from coming any closer. "Rizzoli," he said as he turned to face Jane. "I know it's not conventional but New Haven needs our help. You'd only be out a week—go film the show on a Monday, hang around the town for a few more days to do some digging and smell out anything fishy, and be home by Sunday dinner."

"I'm fine with that plan but I'm not going with Maura. I'll start learning everything about Frost and he and he and I can go on the show," Jane stated.

"If you and the doc already know everything about each other, it'd be a heck of a lot easier than trying to learn everything about me," Frost pointed out. "Plus I could use my tech skills to get the inside scoop at the studio."

"Okay, so I'll be Korsak's hot young wife," Jane suggested.

"Jane-" Korsak began before being cut off.

"You should listen to Jane's suggestions," Maura said with a forced smile. "Clearly she does not want to pretend to be married to someone like me. Younger women marrying older men is not a new phenomenon," she added. "I personally think you two make a very…interesting couple."

"Maura," Jane said turning to see Maura's attempts at hiding her pained expression.

"I'm going to head back down to the lab. Best of luck with the undercover," Maura said as she began to walk towards the elevators.

"This conversation is not over," Jane said, pointing a finger at each of the three men in the squad room before she jogged to the elevator, catching it just before it closed. "Maura," she began as she saw Maura fiddling with her necklace. "You know that the reason I'd prefer going to New Haven with Frost or Korsak has nothing to do with not thinking you're someone I'd marry."

"It's fine, Jane," Maura said. "I am a woman who has quite a few quirks that turn people off. I understand that even just pretending to be my wife would be uncomfortable."

"Mauraaaa," groaned at the doctor stepped off the elevator and began to walk to her office. "That's not why I don't want you coming with me," she said as she followed Maura into her office.

"Then what is the reason?"

"It's dangerous," Jane said simply.

"I've been in dangerous situations before," Maura pointed out as she began to organize the papers on her desk in an attempt to stop her hands from fidgeting.

"Yeah, because of me."

Maura stopped organizing the papers and turned to watch Jane sit down on her couch and run her hands over her face.

"Hoyt hurt you because you came with me to the prison that day," Jane said, keeping her head angled downward and eyes cast to the floor. "You nearly lost your leg in the reservoir because you were with me. You almost got pulled down an elevator shaft because I wasn't quick enough to piece clues together. I can't bring you into another potentially dangerous situation because I can't be the reason you get hurt again."

"Oh, Jane," Maura said softly as she sat down next to Jane and took Jane's hands in her own, grateful that she was one of the few people allowed to touch the hands Jane felt so self-conscious about. "In every one of those situations, who was there to save me? Who saw Hoyt cutting my neck and found it in them to fight to save us both? Who cut my leg open at the reservoir and ensured that I still have use of that leg today? Who led the charge into the apartment where I might have been thrown down an elevator shaft and whose arms did I find safety in before any others?"

Jane mumbled something unintelligible and Maura smiled softly.

"I'm sorry, I can't hear you. Could you repeat your answer just a bit louder?"

"Me," Jane repeated as she lifted her head to look at Maura's smiling face.

"Good work, detective," Maura chuckled. "You have saved me in every single dangerous situation we have ever been in and I am positive that, if this undercover work results in danger, you will save us just like you have saved us every other time."

"You really wanna pretend to be my wife for a week?" Jane asked, arching an eyebrow at Maura.

"If it means winning a free trip to New York City with my best friend, I suppose I can put up with you for a week," Maura shrugged.

"Hey!" Jane gasped, pulling her left hand free from Maura's to pinch her side. "What do you mean 'put up with me?' You are really mean to your wife!"

* * *

Just over a week later, Maura and Jane were loading their luggage into the back of a rental car and preparing to drive to New Haven where they would be living for the week.

"I honestly have no idea how you fit a week's worth of clothing and toiletries into one suitcase," Maura said as she loaded her second suitcase into the trunk.

"And I honestly have no idea why you need two suitcases plus a purse for a week," Jane retorted as she watched Maura close the trunk.

"Well, the first suitcase is for my daily clothes and a few pairs of shoes and the second suitcase is for toiletries, pajamas, and other assorted necessities for a trip."

"Right," Jane said as she got into the driver's seat and started the car, plugging the address of the townhome they'd be staying at into the GPS. Soon she and Maura were on the highway for their hour and a half drive to New Haven. They discussed theories on the case as well as reviewed their undercover stories before Jane began to fidget in her seat.

"What are you doing?" Maura asked as she watched Jane reach into her pocket and attempt to pull her phone out.

"My phone just vibrated so I was gonna see who it was," Jane replied as she managed to pull her phone out.

"Please tell me that you do not make a habit out of texting and driving," Maura said seriously.

"Uh, I don't make a habit out of texting and driving?" Jane said with a grimace.

"Jane!" Maura chided.

"I don't actually reply to the texts. I just read them in case it's something I need to know right away," Jane quickly added.

"Give me your phone," Maura demanded, holding her hand out and smiling when Jane begrudgingly handed it to her. "The text is from Frost," Maura stated. "He sent several videos to your e-mail from the show for us to watch before we go to the studio tomorrow so we have an idea of the types of questions they may ask us."

"Oh, yay," Jane said sarcastically. "I just love undercover homework."

"At least this undercover assignment doesn't require you to dress as a hooker," Maura smiled.

"Now that woulda been a great newlywed undercover story. The hooker and the doctor," Jane laughed. "Sounds very much like romance novels my nana used to read."

"I'm sure we could change our love story to the hooker and the doctor if you really wanted to," Maura teased. "You really pulled those fishnet stocking off better than anyone I've ever seen."

"Nope," Jane said as she shook her head quickly. "I am more than okay sticking with the idea that we're just two professors who fell in love at work. Keep it simple."

"But where's the fun in keeping it simple?" Maura asked with a smile. "Why couldn't we be Peace Corps volunteers who met while stationed in Namibia or college roommates turned lovers who have been together since we were young?"

"Maur," Jane laughed as she watched Maura's excitement from the corner of her eye. "As much as I love your imagination and your desire to deliver a riveting performance as my Namibian lesbian college roommate turned wife, I get the feeling that my performance in that category would be kinda crappy."

"I suppose that makes sense," Maura smiled. "But did you really have to describe me as Morgan, the socially awkward anatomy professor who demanded her office be the one right next to the university cadaver lab?"

"What? I thought that would be an easy character for you to get into," Jane teased.

"Jane!" Maura said, reaching over to smack Jane's arm.

"Okay, okay," Jane laughed as she tried to pull away from Maura's smacks while still driving safely. "You can be, like, the hot professor that all the horny college kids wanna do extra credit for. How's that sound? Better?"

"And you are the fiery professor that all those horny college kids are jealous of because yours is the only extra credit I will accept," Maura added with a wink.

* * *

"I am so glad that the New Haven PD thought that the only food we would need for next week would be minute rice, ramen noodles, and enough baking supplies to keep Betty Crocker in business for the next decade," Jane groaned as she opened every cupboard in their townhouse. "Don't laugh," Jane whined as she saw Maura giggling from across the kitchen. "I'm hungry!"

"I saw a farmer's market set up at the fairgrounds we passed," Maura chuckled. "We could pick up some fresh produce from there as well as stop at the grocery store for some of the staples we will need for the week."

"Are you going to get something other than rabbit food?" Jane asked as she turned to face Maura, a pout still on her face.

"Only if you're a good wife and don't complain every time that something green does get placed in the shopping cart," Maura said with a smile.

"You are having too much fun with this," Jane replied as she shook her head. "But, yes, I promise to be a good wife and only complain every _other_ time that you put something green into the cart."

"You are impossible, Janet," Maura said, placing emphasis on Jane's new name.

"Oh, but you love me, Morgan," Jane replied with just as much emphasis before grabbing the car keys and heading back to the car. "Let's go get some food!"

They made it to the farmer's market and began to wander up and down the aisles, Maura filling her basket far quicker than Jane was filling her basket. Maura's basket was filled with a wide variety of produce while Jane stuck to what she was familiar with: granny smith apples, strawberries, and peaches. After paying for her peaches, Jane looked up to see Maura had moved to a booth several yards away selling kale. She walked over to Maura and, moving her purchases to her other arm, wrapped an arm around Maura's waist.

"Is this okay?" she whispered in Maura's ear before pressing a quick kiss to the side of Maura's head.

"Of course," Maura smiled as she allowed herself to relax against Jane's side. "I don't know why you would feel the need to ask if I am really going to purchase this gorgeous kale," Maura continued, simultaneously answering Jane's question and keeping their cover.

"She's always trying to get me to eat kale," Jane explained to the middle aged woman who was selling the kale. "I try to get out of it but she always wins."

"Good for you for keeping your girl healthy," the woman said to Maura with a smile. "I don't know why people are so afraid of kale but I'm glad there are people like you here to keep me in business."

"Oh, I do love kale," Maura smiled. "Could I perhaps have three bunches? I just found a wonderful recipe for kale chips I would love to try and your selection is just perfect."

"She's a keeper," the woman winked at Jane before handing Maura her kale.

"Oh, I know," Jane grinned as she gave Maura a soft squeeze.

"Here," Maura said as she handed the woman a $20. "Keep the change," she added as she began to walk back towards the car, Jane's arm still wrapped around her.

"I figured we should maybe be a little bit cutesy in public," Jane said softly as she pulled her arm away from Maura when they reached the car and began to load their purchases into the back seat. "You sure that's okay?"

"More than okay," Maura admitted honestly with a smile. "Let's head to the grocery store and then back home."

When they reached the grocery store, it was Maura who initiated contact by placing her hand over Jane's on the handle of the shopping cart and laced their fingers together. They made idle chit-chat as they perused the aisles in surprising comfort, Jane reaching to pick out the items she knew Maura would normally choose and Maura making sure to choose items Jane would appreciate. The domesticity of their actions didn't go unnoticed by either of the women but they simply chose to enjoy the comfort they found with each other.

"Do you want to make dinner tonight or pick something up?" Jane asked as they loaded their groceries into the trunk.

"How about we pick something up?" Maura suggested. "I know you had to get up early this morning to finalize things so I believe you would prefer a relaxing evening on the couch as we watch those videos Frost sent us and eat take-out."

"I mean, yeah, I would prefer that but what would you prefer?" Jane asked as they got into the car and started it.

"As long as we make dinner tomorrow night, I would be more than happy to enjoy take out tonight," Maura smiled.

"Alright," Jane smiled. "I saw a Thai place in that plaza by our place. You wanna try that?"

"Sure," Maura replied.

After stopping at the restaurant, Jane and Maura returned home and unloaded their groceries together before migrating to the couch with their take out containers and Jane's laptop to watch the videos of the show. They paused the videos regularly to quiz each other on what their answers would be if a particular question came up yet by 8 o'clock they had watched 5 episodes of the show, three of which were the ones their victims had won on.

"I can't believe six people were killed because they knew random details about their spouse," Jane sighed as she leaned back on the couch.

"It's horrible," Maura said sadly. "Perhaps the perpetrator is someone who has been hurt by someone they love," Maura thought out loud. "He, or she, sees these three newlyweds who are so madly in love and know everything about each other and hates them because he has never had that or maybe he once had that and it was taken from him."

"That's a really good theory, Maur," Jane smiled as she turned her neck to look at Maura. "You sure you weren't a detective in a past life?"

"It's entirely possible," Maura said. "But I always imagined that I was a baker in a past life," she added. "A baker living in France or Italy who owns a little shop with artisan goodies made with all natural ingredients."

"I can see that," Jane laughed.

"We should have ordered dessert," Maura chuckled as she felt her mouth water at the thought of baked goods. "But, since we didn't, I'm gonna go shower and put on some pajamas."

"I'll clean up out here," Jane said as she stood up and began to clear their take-out containers and glasses from the coffee table.

* * *

When Maura returned from her shower, she noticed that the living room had been cleaned of their dinner but that the kitchen was far from clean.

"Jane?" Maura laughed as she saw the baking supplies strew around the kitchen.

"Hi!" Jane greeted as she popped up from where she had been peering into the oven. Maura's laughter grew as she saw the flour on Jane's jeans and t-shirt.

"What are you doing?" Maura asked as she sat down on one of the barstools at the kitchen's island.

"You said you wanted dessert," Jane said as she pulled an oven mitt onto her hand and pulled a cookie tray from the oven, "so I made dessert," she finished as she tilted the tray slightly so Maura could see the cookies.

"I don't remember purchasing any cookie dough," Maura said as she watched Jane gently lift the cookies from the tray onto a cooling rack.

"Of course we didn't purchase any cookie dough!" Jane said, gasping dramatically. "That's just ridiculous, Maura. Buying pre-made cooking dough," she added with a shake of her head. "Blasphemy, I tell ya!"

"So, you baked?" Maura asked tentatively.

"Yup," Jane said as she placed two cookies on a small plate and slid the plate in front of Maura. "I present to you the famous Jane Rizzoli peanut butter chocolate chip cookies." Seeing the look in Maura's eyes, Jane snatched the plate of cookies back away from Maura. "You give me that look and I don't give you any cookies."

"I'm sorry," Maura laughed. "I just didn't know you baked. In all the years that I've known you I don't think I've ever had the pleasure of enjoying anything made by Jane Rizzoli."

"Actually, you have," Jane smiled as she slid the plate back to Maura.

"Really?" Maura asked as she broke one of the still warm cookies in half. "What have I eaten that—oh my gosh, Jane. These are really good!" she said, changing subject mid-sentence as she tasted the cookie for the first time.

"Don't act so surprised," Jane smiled as she began to scoop more cookie dough onto the tray for another batch of cookies. "I created this recipe when I was in high school so I've had a lot of time to perfect the recipe."

"What other Jane Rizzoli treats have I gotten the chance to try? I don't recall a time where I've seen you bake," Maura asked.

"Ya know how on every holiday we have pie? Apple and pumpkin on Thanksgiving, French silk on Christmas, cherry on New Year's, and key lime on Easter?" Jane asked.

"Yes…" Maura replied.

"Well, those are mine. I make the pies and then pass them off to ma who I told to take credit for them," Jane admitted as she set the baking tray into the oven and set the timer.

"Jane!" Maura exclaimed. "Those pies are incredible. I've asked your mother to teach me how to make them for years but she always says she would rather teach me to make cannoli. You made those?"

"Yeah," Jane confessed with a shy smile. "You aren't the only one who worked in a bakery in a past life," she added. "I didn't wanna hear family and friends make stupid comments or jokes about how my future husband will be so lucky to have a wife who can bake or that my kids will have the best birthday treats so I told ma that I'd only keep making the pies for holidays if she took credit."

"I never would have guessed that was the case," Maura said with a smile.

"Mainly because you can't guess," Jane mocked. "Oh, you gotta dip the cookies in milk!" she said as she quickly pulled the carton of milk from the fridge and poured some into a glass that she handed to Maura.

"What else don't I know about you?" Maura wondered as she dipped the other cookie in the glass of milk before biting it.

"Probably not that much," Jane replied as she poured her own glass of milk. "Which is good considering we have to kick ass on that show tomorrow."

"What if we don't win tomorrow?" Maura asked sadly. "What if another couple earns over 3,000 points and they end up dead all because we failed?"

"That's not gonna happen, Maura," Jane said as she moved to the other side of the island so she was leaning against the counter right next to where Maura sat. "You're the best friend I've ever had and sometimes I get the impression that you know me better than I know me. Which means we're gonna kick ass and win tomorrow, then stick our noses where they don't belong to figure out who our killer is, arrest this asshole, and then enjoy our prize trip to the Big Apple where you can drag me to all your fancy shops and convince me to try on a dress."

"Just one dress?"

"Maybe two if you're lucky," Jane suggested. Maura turned to look at Jane and couldn't help the laughter that escaped her. "Okay, why are you laughing at me?" Jane asked. "Because if just the image of me in a dress is making you laugh then I am totally not trying any on for you ever."

"That's not it," Maura laughed. "You just have a little blob of cookie dough in your hair."

"Really? How the hell did I get cookie dough in my hair?" Jane asked as she ran her fingers through the bottom half of her hair.

"I'll get it," Maura offered as she slid off the stool and stood in front of Jane, their bodies only a few inches apart. Maura reached up and laughed as she pulled a small bit of cookie dough from near Jane's face, setting it on the counter next to them. "I should go toss that in the trash," Maura said as she realized how close she and Jane were to each other.

"Maybe I was just saving that bit for later," Jane smiled, noticing how Maura made no attempts to move. "I'm really glad we're doing this together, Maura," Jana said, her voice softer than usual as she reached up to tuck an errant curl behind Maura's ear.

"I'm really glad, too," Maura replied in a voice just as soft.

The two women remained close, their eyes locked on each other as they allowed a bubble to envelop them and block out anything other than their bodies. Neither wanted to pop their imaginary bubble as they enjoyed a rare moment of peace their lives saw so little of.

"I'm gonna go check on the cookies," Jane announced as she quickly spun around and walked to the oven, effectively popping the bubble they had created.

"I'll go make sure the alarm clock is set," Maura said as she walked towards the stairwell, a hand coming up to her chest to try and calm her racing heart, unaware that Jane's hand was over her own heart as well.

* * *

**So, the town of New Haven is totally made up so don't go to Massachusetts and expect to find a little town named New Haven cuz ya won't find it. I just liked the way New Haven Newlyweds sounded as the title of the show. Hah.**

**Alright, so, let me know what you think! The next chapter will see them on the show, then we'll see them kinda poking around to see who the killer might be, and then (if they win the show) we'll see their trip to New York. Only if ya'll think this is worthy of continuing, that is. :-)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here is chapter two! I hope ya'll enjoy it! I know some of you wanted to see the full game show with all the questions and I tried writing that, I really did. I spent the better part of yesterday frustrated and annoyed because I just couldn't seem to write what you wanted. I had something written but I just didn't feel like it was something I was proud to publish so I just gave you a few quick snapshots of the game.**

* * *

"How do I look?" Maura asked as she entered the kitchen the next morning.

"You look like you're wearing glasses," Jane said as she looked up from the coffee mug she had been staring in to.

"I thought the glasses added to the professor persona," Maura smiled. She was wearing a black pencil skirt with a crimson silk blouse, her hair pulled into a low ponytail. To Jane, she looked just as gorgeous as she did every other day, the glasses the only new aspect of her appearance.

"Oh, they definitely do," Jane replied. "If I were a horny college student, I'm pretty sure those glasses are what would do it for me."

"Did you already eat breakfast?" Maura asked, choosing to change the subject as she pulled a yogurt from the fridge and sat next to Jane at the island.

"Yeah," Jane said. "I had some oatmeal while you were in the shower."

"Did you put a copious amount of brown sugar in your oatmeal?"

"Uh, depends on how you define copious," Jane chuckled as she downed the remainder of her coffee. "I'm gonna run upstairs and try to tame my hair," she added as she hopped down from her stool and jogged up the stairs, leaving Maura alone in the kitchen.

"This is why you will never be married," Maura said to herself as she felt her hunger dissipate. She threw the half eaten carton of yogurt into the trash and grabbed Jane's coffee cup, moving to the sink to wash the cup and oatmeal bowl as she waited for Jane to return.

"Do I look professor-y enough?" Jane asked as she returned to the kitchen to see Maura standing over the sink her eyes glazed over in thought. Maura smiled as she raised her head to look over Jane's chosen outfit—a dark burgundy pair of skinny jeans that Maura had insisted she purchase on their last shopping trip and a black short sleeved blouse. She had braided her hair and the long braid was pulled over Jane's shoulder.

"Very much so," Maura smiled as she stepped out from behind the island. "We make quite a pair."

"I hope that our outfits don't clash with the trophy we're about to win," Jane said as she laced her fingers with Maura's as they exited their front door and headed to the car.

"Your heart is pounding," Maura said after she and Jane entered the car and, after shifting the car into gear, allowed their joined hands to rest on the center console.

"Yeah," Jane said with a soft smile. "I just don't wanna mess this up."

"You won't," Maura reassured Jane with a squeeze to her hand. "You've done plenty of undercover work before and, compared to those, I'm sure this is a cake walk."

"I just really don't want to put you in any unnecessary danger," Jane sighed. "I know that nothing dangerous is gonna happen at the show today but what if our killer comes at us while we're at the farmer's market or that apple orchard you mentioned wanting to visit? I don't want to put you in danger, Maura."

"You mean you don't want to put _us_ in any unnecessary danger?" Maura asked.

"No, I mean _you_," Jane admitted. "I'm fine with dangerous situations. The adrenaline kicks in and I kick ass. But after every dangerous situation I've put you in I swear I've had to bake a dozen batches of cookies and seven pies just to calm myself down even a little bit. And I hate myself while doing it."

"Jane," Maura said, her chest tightening as she imagined Jane baking in her kitchen late at night after every situation where Maura had been in danger, filled with self-loathing as she did so. "Your selflessness never ceases to both amaze and frighten me. But your life and your safety are worth just as much as mine and I hope that one day you can believe that."

"Yeah, well, don't hold your breath," Jane chuckled as she pulled into the local filming studio. "Looks like we're here," she said, grateful for the subject change.

"There's Frost," Maura said as she pointed to where Frost was walking into the studio, carrying various pieces of technical equipment as he followed an older woman who carried nothing into the studio.

"I'm glad he's here to help us poke around," Jane said as she pulled into a parking spot and shut the car off. "Ready to ditch Rizzoli and Isles and become Morgan and Janet Hamilton?"

Maura just nodded as she pulled her hand from Jane's and exited the car, smiling as she felt the fall breeze on her face. She walked towards the studio, her smiling growing as she felt Jane wrap an arm around her like she had done at the farmer's market. They entered the studio and, after being directed to the correct room, were quickly thrust in front of a red curtain with a camera aimed at them.

"We need to take a few shots of you ladies," a girl who appeared no older than 20 said as they picked up the camera from the tripod. "Just so we have some photos to show during the opening credits to the show," she added.

"You want us to pose or do anything special?" Jane asked.

"Just do a few fun poses," the girl smiled. "Maybe a kiss or get into a piggyback ride position."

"Well, Morgan here decided to wear a skirt so piggy backing it out of the question," Jane laughed as she pinched Maura's side where he hand was still resting.

"Janet!" Maura laughed as she attempted to pull away from the tickling sensation Jane caused.

"That was actually pretty cute," the girl said as she pulled her camera away from her face to look at the photo she'd taken, both women mid laugh.

"Can I try something?" Jane asked, directing her question more to Maura than the photographer.

"Sure," Maura said, expecting that Jane might place a kiss to her cheek or something small. What she wasn't expecting was for Jane to scoop her up bridal style and turn towards the camera. "Nice to know I can still sweep her off her feet," Jane said to the photographer as Maura laughed as wrapped her arms around Jane to steady herself.

"That's perfect," the photographer said as she clicked a few photos. "Maybe Morgan you could kiss Janet's cheek?"

"May I?" Maura whispered in Jane's ear.

"Morgan loves leaving her lipstick imprints on my cheek," Jane grinned. "I'm surprised you had to ask her cuz normally she's all about marking me."

Taking that as Jane giving her the okay, Maura pressed her lips to Jane's cheek, feeling Jane's smile as the photographer took a few shots in quick succession.

"That's great," the girl said as she placed the camera down. "I'm Amanda, by the way," she said as she walked up to Jane and Maura who were now both standing up right. "I'm taking a gap year to save up before heading to California for film school so the producers hired me to do the photo shoots and work the main video camera."

"Morgan," Maura said as she extended her arm out to shake Amanda's hand.

"I'm Janet," Jane added as she, too, shook Amanda's hand. "We've seen the show before and your camera skills are pretty solid."

"Thanks," Amanda said, a blush rising in her cheeks. "I'm super glad that you guys are on the show. New Haven isn't exactly the most progressive town in the world so it's really awesome to see a same sex couple featured here for the first time."

"Well, it feels awesome to be featured here," Maura said with a smile.

"Is there anything else you need us to do before we start filming?" Jane asked, looking around the studio for anything suspicious.

"I don't think so," Amanda said. "You said that you've seen the show but if you want to follow me I can give you a quick tour of the set and run down how things work."

"Lead the way," Maura smiled as she clasped Jane's hand in her own and let her thumb rub over Jane's scar, soothing her silently.

"Okay, so there are three couples competing today," Amanda said as she led them to the set. "There are six seats in a V shape with the host's station at the middle. We do this so each of the couples are separated to prevent cheating but they can still see each other."

"The colors are so much brighter in real life," Maura said as she noticed the vibrant colors of the booths the contestants sit in and the bright red background.

"Yeah, they have to be because once all the lights are on the colors get washed out on camera. Kinda like how actors have to wear dramatic make-up if they're on a stage," Amanda explained. "So, I have to give you the official schpeel even if you've seen the show. The host will ask you a question about each other. You have an electronic pad in the booth as well as a stylus to write with. The pad is divided into two sections. When the host asks the question, you're going to write your answer on the top half and then you're going to write your spouse's on the bottom half. Make sense?"

"So, if the host says 'Tell us your spouse's favorite color,' I would write my own favorite color on the top half and Morgan's on the bottom half?" Jane asked.

"Yeah. Then your answers will be displayed and we'll see if what you said your favorite color is matches what Morgan thinks it is and if her favorite color matches what you think it is. Scoring is done individually, meaning that if Janet guesses your favorite color correctly, she'll earn points even if you guess wrong. But if you guys are awesome and both get the question right, you both earn points. After 35 questions, we'll add your individual scores together to give you a semi-final total. We'll then tell you the category the final question will be from and you'll get to wager as many points as you want from that total. You get the answer right, you earn those points. Get it wrong as you lose them."

"I just got some serious butterflies in my stomach," Maura admitted as she turned to face Jane, a soft yet nervous smile on her face.

"It's really not that bad once we get started," Amanda said, thinking that Maura's fears came from being in front of a camera or losing. But Jane knew there was more behind her butterflies than that.

"Hey, is there some sort of dressing room or something around here?" Jane asked as she squeezed Maura's hand. "I feel like Morgan could use a little pep talk," she added with a wink.

"Oh, yeah," Amanda laughed. "We've only got one room for all the couples since we're a small show but you guys can use my office if you promise to keep it PG-13."

"We will," Jane reassured Amanda as they walked down a corridor to a small office.

"We start shooting in about 40 minutes so take your time. Just come on back down to the set once you're all pepped up," Amanda said as she unlocked the door to her office and pushed it open, revealing a large wooden desk, a computer chair, and several bookshelves of varying sizes filled with both books and video tapes.

"Thank you," Maura said softly before Amanda walked back towards the set, already pulling out her walkie talkie and speaking into it.

"You okay?" Jane asked as she shut the door softly as she placed a hand at the small of Maura's back and rubbed soft circles with her thumb.

"Just got a bit nervous," Maura said as she closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths.

"Nervous because you're in front of cameras?"

"No," Maura said with a shake of her head. "I'm more than comfortable in front of a camera. I think that the gravity of the situation has just hit me."

"Let's sit down," Jane said as she guided Maura to the large chair and sat her down.

"Our six victims have all been on this very set and heard that same speech," Maura said as she sunk into the chair. "They have all been here and done what we are about to do and were killed because they love each other. And it is up to us to follow in their footsteps."

"Except for the getting killed part," Jane interrupted with a smile.

"Yes, preferably without being killed," Maura chuckled. "I'm sorry. I have no idea why this is all hitting me. I knew what our purpose was entering into this but being here where our victims have been is just a bit overwhelming."

"Hey, no saying sorry," Jane said as she spun the chair Maura was sitting in to face her and crouched down in front of Maura, grasping her hands and squeezing gently. "You're totally fine, Maura. You felt my heartbeat in the car racing and this isn't anything new for me," Jane said. "Being nervous or getting overwhelmed is normal, even for a cyborg."

"I told you that I'm not a cyborg," Maura laughed.

"That's exactly what a cyborg would say!"

"I love that you can make me laugh when I need it most," Maura said honestly. "Thank you."

"Anytime," Jane replied. "How about I make you a deal? To help ease the butterflies."

"What are the conditions of the deal?" Maura asked.

"If you do your best out there today and maybe even have a bit of fun, I'll teach your how to make my key lime pie before the week is over."

"Really?" Maura asked, her eyes lighting up.

"Yeah," Jane grinned. "From the graham cracker crust to the filling to the whipped topping, I'll give you the best cooking lesson you've ever had. I'll even speak the, like, 10 Italian phrases I know so you can feel like you're living your past life as an Italian baker."

"You're the best," Maura said as she squeezed Jane's hands.

"I try," Jane winked. "So you're feeling better? Ready to go kick some New Haven Newlywed ass?"

"Let's go kick some ass!"

* * *

Twenty minutes into the game and both Jane and Maura were feeling more confident about their chances of scoring over 3,000 points. The questions had been simple and focused mainly on favorites—favorite color, food, place to vacation, and aspect of their partner. They next questions, they were warned, would be about their relationship, which only slightly worried the women. They had decided to keep as many details about their fictional relationship similar to their real relationship make lying easier for Maura but Jane still worried.

They asked the spouses to describe what the other was wearing when they first met, which earned a chuckle from everyone in the studio as Jane told the story about Maura seeing her for the first time in a prostitute get-up as she prepared to teach her criminal justice students the art of a convincing undercover job and, since Maura was new to the university, tried to pay for her coffee.

Maura was the next one to make the studio smile as she teased Jane that she was the one who said 'I love you' first after Jane saw what looked like Maura and Jane's brother flirting and got defensive, prompting Maura to tell Jane how much she loved her and winking at the camera as she said they then spent the rest of the night in bed, allowing the viewers to believe they were doing something other than the sleeping that actually happened.

The questions were slowly getting tougher as they went from facts about the spouses to more hypothetical and broad questions—would your spouse prefer to spend a week in Hawaii or a week in Paris or other 'what if' questions that Maura rolled her eyes at, her distaste for what if statements evident.

The other contestants were strong and seemed to have studied for their time on the show far more than Jane or Maura would have thought to do, but as they neared the end of the show, they were in the lead with 2,750 points.

"Alright, contestants. This is our last question before the final so get ready," the host said with a grin. "I need you to write on your pads what you would save if your house was on fire and your spouse was already safe and then write what your spouse would save."

Jane was quick to write both of her answers but, as she watched Maura, she noticed that the blonde wrote one answer before biting her lip in concentration as she thought. But when Maura quickly looked up at Jane and saw the soft smile Jane gave her, she made up her mind and wrote down her second answer before hitting the button to lock her answers in.

The other two couples went before Jane and Maura, with only one person from each couple earning points, meaning that Jane and Maura were still in the lead.

"Alright, Morgan, let's see what you wrote that you would save if your house was on fire and Janet was already safe. You wrote…Bass?"

"Bass, my African spurred tortoise," Maura clarified with a smile. "I bought him as a birthday present to myself when I turned 21 and he has been a constant companion of mine for quite some time."

"Interesting," the host said as he turned to Jane. "What did you say that your wife would save, Janet" he asked, laughing as Jane's pad was displayed to show a rough drawing of a turtle with the word Bass written next to the drawing. "50 points to Janet," the host said. "Now, Janet, tell us what you would save if you could save one thing from your house?"

"I guess great minds think alike because I'd also save Bass," Jane smiled as her answer was displayed, this time without a drawing. "Bass has been there for Morgan when I wasn't or couldn't be and I know how much she loves him. Plus he's actually kinda cute."

The entire studio said a collective 'awww' as Jane confessed that she would save Maura's beloved pet.

"Morgan, what did you say that your lovely Janet would save?" the host asked, turning back to Maura.

Maura simply smiled as she displayed her answer, the word Bass written next to a smiley face.

"Janet is one of the most selfless people I know so if our house ever were to catch fire, I am certain that she would save Bass before even thinking of any of her belongings. It's both worrisome and beautiful how selfless she is," Maura said as she locked eyes with Jane.

"50 points goes to Morgan," the host smiled. "Which means that the Hamilton's have an over 500 point lead going into the final. Which doesn't mean too much because the question we are about to ask our contestants is a doozie. I don't even know if I could answer it for myself, let alone for my spouse. But we're gonna make these newlyweds try! So, contestants, if you would please place your final wagers for the question that is going to be in the 'Career' category!"

Jane chuckled as she watched Maura's eyebrows furrow as she mentally began to calculate the best wager to make in order to win. Jane smiled as she thought of what she should wager—she wanted to choose a number that would mean something to Maura. Her favorite number or a number with a special significance to them but she fell short on ideas until she smirked and wrote a number down just before the host spoke.

"Alrighty, folks! We are back and ready to crown our next New Haven Newlywed winners! All they have to do is answer the following question: Tell us what career your spouse would have if they had a past life. You have 30 seconds."

Both Maura and Jane's eyes widened at the perfect question that they had discussed the previous night without any reason to discuss it. They both quickly wrote down both their personal answers and what they knew the other would write before locking their answers in and watching as one couple seemed to admit defeat and the other seemed to be under extreme stress.

The music came to a stop and the host began to ask the other couples to reveal their answers but neither Jane nor Maura paid attention. They were both fairly certain they would win and, once it was official, they would need to be on high alert for anyone suspicious, so in this moment before their turn came to show their answers, they could hear nothing but their hearts pounding.

"Morgan, why don't you show us what Janet would be in a past life?" the host asked Maura.

"A baker," Maura smiled as she displayed her answer.

"That true, Janet?" the man asked Jane, which Jane replied to with a press of a button that displayed her answer of baker. "Beautiful!" the host beamed. "Now, how many points did you wager, Morgan?" he asked.

"500," Maura replied as her wager was displayed and those points were added to her total.

"Your turn, Janet," the host smiled. "What would Morgan be if she worked in a past life?"

"She'd also be a baker," Jane grinned as she displayed her answer. Before the host could turn to Maura, the doctor had already pressed a button to display her answer, which was also baker.

"You two are a truly magical couple," the host said in disbelief. "How much did you wager, Janet?"

"I wagered 314," Jane smiled as she waited for Maura to understand her wager. When she understood it, Maura began to laugh. "For those of you who aren't aware, 3.14 is the number for pi and my Morgan absolutely loves pie," Jane explained as she winked to Maura.

"Well, citizens of New Haven," the host smiled as he stepped from his podium and walked to Maura, offering his hand to help her from her chair before walking with her to Jane and helping Jane from her chair as well. "With the city's highest New Haven Newlywed score of 3,664, I present to you our September champions, Morgan and Janet Hamilton!"

Balloons fell from the ceiling along with streamers as Jane and Maura smiled and embraced each other in a fierce hug, Jane lifting Maura from her feet momentarily.

"Looks like someone is getting a cooking lesson soon," Jane murmured in Maura's ear before setting her back down.

"Let's see a kiss from our lovely winners," the host suggested as she watched the two women hug and laugh.

"Oh," Maura said as she turned red in the face. "We couldn't possibly," she stammered.

"Aw, don't be camera shy now!"

"Oh, we aren't camera shy," Jane said as she pulled Maura close to her and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "I think that Morgan knows, though, that if I kiss her now then there won't be any stopping me. And since we know this is a family show, we'll have to restrain ourselves until we get home," Jane continued with a wink to the host.

"Ahhh," the man replied with a wink back to Jane and Maura as Amanda came out from behind her camera to quickly hand him a trophy which he then handed to Jane and Maura. "Well, we'd like to thank all our couples for competing today and wish them all the very best on their lives together," he spoke to the camera. "Thanks for watching!"

* * *

"I can't believe you wagered pi," Maura laughed as she unlocked the front door of their townhome after they had officially wrapped the show.

"And I can't believe they asked us about past lives when we literally just talked about those last night," Jane said as she carried their new trophy into the house and set it proudly on the kitchen table. "Not exactly the most classy of centerpieces, but I kinda like it."

"What are going to do with that once we get back to Boston?"

"You are more than welcome to keep it," Jane said as she walked to the kitchen and poured a glass of water. "It's a reminder of your first real undercover op."

"Just what I've always wanted," Maura teased as she pulled her hair from its low ponytail and ran her fingers through curls, "a tacky trophy that I won as I pretended to be married to my best friend to lure a serial killer out."

"It goes great with those death masks in your office," Jane quipped. "So, what would you like to do for the rest of the day? We could take a victory lap around the farmer's market or we could-"

"Visit the apple orchard?"

"I love how excited you get over the simple things," Jane laughed as she watched Maura's face light up.

"I can't help it," Maura grinned. "It's been too long since I've had fresh apple cider. Whole Foods has a wonderful brand but nothing compares to going to directly to the cider mill. I frequented Motman's Orchard as often as possible while attending BCU."

"Did you ever indulge in one of those sugary and delicious cider mill doughnuts?" Jane asked.

"No," Maura said simply.

"Oh, we are so going to get you a doughnut."

And with that, Jane grabbed Maura's hand and dragged her to the car, eager to not only have a doughnut of her own but see Maura try a cider mill style doughnut for the first time. She continued to tug on Maura's hand once they made it to the cider mill and entered the shop and got in line for their treats.

"Do you want cold cider or hot?" Jane asked.

"Which goes best with the doughnuts?" Maura replied.

"Probably the cold. We can always pick up a gallon of cider and heat it up back at home throughout the week."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Maura smiled as Jane stepped up to the counter and ordered two ciders and two doughnuts before walking back outside to a small picnic table where they sat down.

"This is actually a very good doughnut," Maura said as she took her first hesitant bite of the sugary treat.

"Told ya," Jane laughed.

"A little bit high in-"

"No," Jane interrupted. "You are not going to tell me how unhealthy these magical treats are. We are going to sit here and enjoy our cider and doughnuts and then we're gonna do the corn maze and pick some apples."

"I never understood corn mazes," Maura thought out loud. "There is only one entrance and one exit so really you're just wandering around produce until you emerge, most likely rather annoyed with whoever you are with."

"When Frankie and I were little we'd go to the local corn maze and split up to find two dead ends. We'd crouch low to the ground and hide in the corn and count how many times a couple started making out in the dead end. Whoever had the deadest dead end had to buy the other a doughnut," Jane said as she licked sugar from her fingers.

"Is making out in a corn maze common?" Maura asked, genuinely curious.

"I mean, Frankie and I usually had numbers in the double digits," Jane shrugged. "I never made out in a corn maze if that's what you're asking."

"Excuse me?" a middle aged man asked, approaching Jane and Maura with a timid smile. "You're Morgan and Janet Hamilton," he stated.

"Who are you?" Jane asked, feeling her body tense up as the stranger greeted them. Maura noticed Jane's muscles tense and gently laid a hand on her thigh underneath the table to offer comfort.

"I'm Rodger and I work for the New Haven Newlyweds," he said as he began to reach into his messenger bag, which prompted Jane to quickly stand up as her reflexes kicked in at what the man might pull form his bag.

"How can I help you?" Jane said, one hand reaching to where her gun would be if she had it and the other reaching behind her for Maura's hand.

"I just wanted to give you this," Rodger said as he pulled a manila envelope from his messenger bag, seemingly oblivious to the tension Jane and Maura felt. "I do PR for the show and saw the photos Amanda took of you two and thought they were great. So I had a couple of them printed for you."

"Thanks," Jane said as she took the offered folder from the man.

"Did you ladies have fun today?" he asked. "I've never seen a couple dominate like you did with such ease."

"It was quite fun," Maura said with a gentle smile as she stood up and moved to stand next to Jane and allow herself to fully examine the man, taking in his facial features and body type and committing them to memory should the need to recall details come to mind.

"Well, I'm glad," he grinned. "But I'm gonna head out. The wife is waiting," he said as he gestured over his shoulder. "Hope you like the photos," he added before leaving without giving Jane and Maura a chance to respond.

"Can I tell you something?" Maura asked softly as Jane turned to face her, a questioning look on her face.

"What?"

"As much as I want to explore a corn maze and pick apples, I think I would prefer to head back to our place and lock the door," the doctor said, her worry clear on her face.

"Don't have to tell me twice," Jane said as she grabbed their trash and began to walk towards the trash can. "That guy gave me the heebee-jeebees. Like, how did he know we would be here right now?" Jane asked, looking up to see Rodger glancing at them over his shoulder before entering the shop.

"When he motioned over his shoulder to his wife, there was no one there. Which means his wife was already inside the shop or there is no wife," Maura said, quickly entering the car and locking her door as Jane did the same. Safe inside the car, Jane turned the radio up and turned to Maura, allowing their undercover personas to dissipate.

"I'll call Frost when we get back to our place," Jane said, trying to offer a reassuring smile but failing. "I'll have him start digging around the show for anyone named Rodger and the see what pops up."

"Is there a way we can get the photos that he gave us to Frost?" Maura asked, not sure how easily an item could be given to Frost. "There could be fingerprints on them and if Rodger isn't his name, his fingerprints might offer some sort of direction."

"Yeah," Jane said as she nodded her head slightly. "I don't even know if what he gave us are photos," Jane quickly said after a few moments of silence. She grabbed the folder from where she had placed it on the dashboard and opened it, laughing when she saw the 8 by 10 glossy photos. "We make a pretty cute couple," Jane said as she handed the folder to Maura.

"We do…" Maura said softly as she looked at the photo of her in Jane's arms, her lips pressing against Jane's cheek as the brunette smiled widely. "I don't know how you do this," Maura sighed as she closed the folder and placed it in her lap.

"Do what?" Jane asked, putting the car into gear and pulling out of the orchard.

"Undercover work," Maura clarified.

"It's not so bad after you're used to it," Jane shrugged. "It's just one big game of dress up," she smiled. "Dress up and make-believe."

"That's why I don't know how you do it," Maura said, turning to look out the window at the passing houses and scenery. "Because I look at that photo and I see so much happiness. And I have no idea if that happiness is Morgan and Janet or Maura and Jane."

* * *

"I put the envelope with your description of Rodger and the photos in the mailbox," Jane said as she entered the bedroom she and Maura were sharing later that night. Maura was already in her silk pajama shorts and matching tank top and sat propped up against the headboard with a medical journal in her hands. "Frost is gonna have one of the local cops swing by and pick it up and bring it to his hotel room," she continued as she walked to the en suite bathroom to brush her teeth.

"Hopefully he will be able to find something helpful," Maura said as she continued to read reviews of the latest lab equipment absentmindedly. "I know that listening to one's intestines is absolutely ludicrous but I can't help but shake the feeling of fear that Rodger brought."

"Frost is good with the digging around," Jane said, toothbrush still in her mouth. "He'll get something and then we'll be able to dig around a bit and get this asshole," she added as she spit out the excess toothpaste and rinsed her toothbrush.

"Then we can head back to reality," Maura said.

"Uh, I dunno about you but I plan to head to cash in on our winnings and head to New York before going back to reality," Jane laughed as she slid into the bed next to Maura and laid on her back.

"Do we really get to go?" Maura asked, setting the journal down on her nightstand. "I don't know protocol for undercover work. We won the trip but does Boston PD allow us to cash in on that award?"

"I mean, it isn't drug money or anything that we got illegally so I don't see why we couldn't," Jane shrugged.

"I think it would be a fun weekend," Maura smiled as she turned her bedside light off and moved to lie down. "We could shop and eat and maybe see a show on Broadway."

"Shopping, no. Eating, yes. Broadway, maybe," Jane replied.

"Good night, Jane," Maura said with a laugh as she rolled onto her side away from Jane.

"Night," Jane said as she also curled up and closed her eyes, her body facing Maura.

Several minutes passed in silence as the women went over the day's events.

"Jane?" Maura whispered.

"Hm?" Jane replied, not opening her eyes as she felt sleep tugging at her mind.

"We both know that I'm not very good at asking for things," she said, keeping her voice soft for fear of her nerves betraying her. "But can I…Can you…" she trailed off, searching for the best way to ask what she wanted.

"Hey," Jane said as she noticed Maura fumbling over her words. She placed a gentle hand on Maura's shoulder and rubbed her thumb up and down gently. "You've got nothing to be ashamed of, okay? It's your parents who should be ashamed for not letting you know that it's okay to ask for things and making you feel like you were a burden when you did ask."

Without replying, Maura took her free hand and grasped the hand that Jane had placed on her shoulder. She lifted Jane's hand from her shoulder and brought it to Maura's waist. Maura then placed her arm on top of Jane's and, with the palm of her hand resting on the back of Jane's, laced their fingers together. A soft smile graced her lips as she felt Jane flex her fingers, offering a supportive squeeze. Her smile grew when she felt Jane scoot her body to mold against Maura's in a comforting embrace.

"Thank you," Maura whispered as she relaxed against Jane.

"You're welcome," came Jane's sleepy reply. "And jut so we're clear, this is most definitely Maura and Jane, not Morgan and Janet."

* * *

I** think this is the longest chapter I've ever written. I do apologize if the lack of actual game show fun disappoints ya'll. Please don't rip into me too much. I really did try to write a full chapter on the game show but just couldn't.**

**I'd love to hear your thoughts!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Some of you mentioned a town called New Haven, Connecticut and the fictional land in this story literally has nothing to do with that real town. I just sat at my computer and said "Okay, what is a nice name that would sound pretty with the word 'newlyweds.' New Haven it is!" So, thanks for telling me there is a real city with this name but it really doesn't mean anything.**

**On with the show!**

* * *

When Jane awoke the next morning, she was greeted with Maura's thumb rubbing up and down the side of Jane's own thumb gently.

"Morning," Jane murmured, making no attempt to remove her arm from around Maura.

"Thank you," Maura said in lieu of returning the morning greeting. "For this," she clarified as she squeezed Jane's hand gently. "I know that it is certainly not something typical best friends do but it was nice to have that bit of physical comfort. If you'd like to forget about it we-"

"I like it," Jane interrupted.

"You do?"

"Yeah," Jane admitted with a smile. "And since we have we ever been typical best friends anyways?"

"True," Maura chuckled.

"So, did you wanna go to the store and get the key lime pie ingredients today? We could make it and then have a little home-made lunch and dessert out in the back yard," Jane suggested.

"What about poking our noses where they don't belong and figuring out who our killer is?"

"We'll do that, too. Frost should have the photos and stuff since the local cop was supposed to swing by early this morning before his shift. He'll keep us updated but there's no reason we can't enjoy ourselves just a little bit," Jane said.

"Well, then I think that the idea of a backyard picnic sounds lovely," Maura smiled. "But, um, can we maybe…"

"Stay in bed a little longer?" Jane asked.

"Yeah," Maura said softly, slightly embarrassed at how comfortable it felt to be in Jane's embrace.

"I guess we can do that," Jane grinned as she pulled Maura even closer than she had been before and just barely resisted the urge to press her lips to the soft skin of Maura's shoulders.

* * *

"Alrighty, mi Maura bella," Jane said in her best Italian accent as she finished setting all the ingredients for key lime pie onto the counter. "Are you ready to have the best cooking lesson of your life?" she asked, her accent never faltering.

"Are you going to speak in that accent the entire time?" Maura laughed.

"You got a problem with my accent, signora?" Jane asked, dropping the accent and arching an eyebrow at Maura.

"Not at all," Maura grinned.

"That's what I thought," Jane said with a wink. "Okay, so, before we get started you might wanna change," she added as she pointed to Maura's black skirt and coral colored blouse.

"Why would I change?" Maura asked, looking down at her outfit. "I'm rather fond of this outfit…"

"I'm sure you are which is the exact reason you should change. A true Jane Rizzoli baking experience is not complete without getting a bit messy," Jane explained. "I'd hate for my hand to slip and fling crushed graham crackers on you or accidentally splatter you with whipped cream."

"You wouldn't dare," Maura challenged.

"Are you certain of that, Doctor Isles?"

Maura held Jane's gaze, neither one making any movement as they stared at each other, a challenge of sorts.

"Fine," Maura said as she broke the trance. "I'll go change," she sighed as she turned to walk to the bedroom, causing Jane to chuckle as she began to pull the necessary tools from where they were stored in the kitchen. "You're lucky I brought a pair of jeans with me or else I would have to wear one of your pairs," Maura stated as she re-emerged into the kitchen in a pair of jeans.

"Hey…" Jane trailed off as she looked up at Maura. "You're wearing my old academy t-shirt."

"Good eye, detective," Maura smiled as she fiddled with the hole at the bottom of the t-shirt. "Is it okay that I am?" she asked nervously.

"Yeah," Jane smiled. "I just thought I'd lost that old thing. You've had it at your place?"

"You left it in the bathroom one day," Maura explained.

"And just keep forgetting to give it back to me?" Jane teased.

"Well, I didn't exactly forget…" Maura said. "You left it at my place a few days before Paddy was shot and we stopped talking. I was a mess and almost burned the shirt in my back yard. But as I walked to the yard I realized that this shirt might be the only thing I'd ever have to remind me of you so…It smells like you still," Maura said. "It's comforting."

"I was an ass," Jane admitted. "And saying sorry just doesn't feel like enough."

"We both acted irrationally," Maura said with a gentle smile. "But it's in the past and we have moved on and grown stronger. So let's not dwell, okay?"

"Kay," Jane agreed. "You, uh, look pretty good in my shirt, by the way," Jane smiled.

Maura felt her cheeks flush as she moved to stand next to Jane at the island, their shoulders brushing slightly.

"I am ready to begin my lesson," Maura announced with mock formality.

"Favoloso!" Jane smiled. "First thing we're gonna do is what takes the longest which is squeezing the key limes to get juice. The key limes are ridiculously tiny so you need, like, two and half of these little bags to get enough juice. Ma once suggested I use regular limes or even just buy lime juice but that's just silly," Jane said as she handed Maura a small bag of key limes.

"I honestly can't believe I didn't know you could bake," Maura smiled as Jane also placed a cutting board and knife in front of Maura.

"Well, now you do know," Jane shrugged. "To make things easier, you can roll the limes around the cutting board for a bit. It helps produce more juice per lime or something."

"And we fill the measuring cup?" Maura asked, nodding towards the cup with a small strainer over it Jane had placed between their two cutting boards.

"We only need a cup of juice so just fill it half way," Jane replied as she took a few limes from her own bag and began to roll them under her palms with Maura mimicking her actions soon after.

"So," Maura began as she fell into a steady rhythm of rolling the limes, cutting them in half, and squeezing them over the cup. "One of the questions on the show yesterday has been nagging me."

"Which one?"

"The one asking where you would rather vacation—Hawaii or Paris. You said you would prefer to go to Paris but I was certain you would choose Hawaii. Why is that?" Maura asked.

"Well, you've said so many great things about Paris that I guess the idea of visiting a city that means a lot to you has come to mean a lot to me, too," Jane said. "The idea of you dragging me through the Louvre and telling me everything about all the art or not telling me that I'm eating frog legs until I've already tried them seems kinda fun."

"Frog legs are vastly overrated," Maura smiled as she imagined walking along the Seine with Jane's hand clasped with hers. "But I still thought you would be more of a Hawaii vacationer. Sit on a beach drinking beer and doing nothing but getting a tan that would make all of us in Boston jealous."

"I mean, that does sound nice," Jane trailed off.

"But?"

"It's silly," Jane said as she shook her head.

"What's silly?" Maura asked.

"That this is going so much faster with a sous chef," Jane said, a bit too eagerly, as she noticed they almost had the right amount of lime juice squeezed.

"Jane," Maura said, her tone gentle yet firm.

Jane sighed and took a deep breath, forcing herself to open up to Maura.

"I'm just not really fond of the idea of vacationing somewhere where I'd need to wear a bathing suit most of the time," Jane admitted as she continued to roll, cut, and squeeze limes so she had an excuse to not look at Maura. "Like, I'm totally used to the scar from the shooting but I'm sure that if I were walking around Hawaii with it on display then everyone would zero in on the scar and then I'd zero in on it and feel everything that I've worked to not feel."

"What do you mean-"

"Plus," Jane interrupted, finding herself unable to stop her words from tumbling out of her mouth. "Can you imagine me walking around a beach in a bathing suit? I'd look like some sort of Mr. Hyde creature all gross and stuff compared to the young kids with their perky boobs and skinny waist and bikinis that cost hundreds of dollars. At least in Paris I could wear pants and some sort of artsy sweater to keep myself covered and still blend in."

Though scientifically impossible, Maura felt like her heart was about to split in two as she watched Jane's hands stop moving and clench into fists.

"Jane," Maura said softly as she set her knife down and turned her body to face Jane. "You are gorgeous. Truly gorgeous."

"You're my best friend," Jane scoffed. "It's your job to say that."

"No, my job is to tell you the truth," Maura countered. "And the truth is that you are the farthest thing from a Mr. Hyde creature. Your bone structure alone is striking and—stop squirming, Jane. I know that talking about your body is not your favorite pastime and you detest compliments, but you need to listen to me."

"I'm listening," Jane said as she turned her body to face Maura, her hip leaning against the counter.

"As I was saying, your bone structure is striking but that is just the basis of your beauty. You have wild hair that suits your wild personality. Your olive skin is incredible and hints at your Italian heritage perfectly. Your hands are rough from years of firing guns but are also distinctly feminine. I have said this before and I will say it again. You are gorgeous, my friend."

"Coming from a supermodel like you," Jane muttered.

"Will you ever just accept a compliment?" Maura asked, chuckling in annoyance.

"Thank you," Jane said, meeting Maura's eyes and causing the doctor to smile. "Now let's move on to the best part of making this pie and smash some graham crackers."

Maura laughed as she watched Jane pull a box of Ziploc bags from the drawer and then reach for the box of crackers.

"Do we have a rolling pin or anything to smash them with?" Maura asked as she watched Jane open the box of crackers and put several crackers into a bag before placing that bag into another one for durability.

"I'm sure there is one around here but smashing them with your fists or palms is a pretty good stress reliever," Jane replied as she placed the bags on Maura's cutting board. "Go for it!" she said with a grin, eager to watch Maura beat the crackers to crumbs.

Maura laughed as she began to knead the crackers with her knuckles as if she were massaging them while Jane put crackers into a bag for her to smash up.

"You can totally do better than that," Jane laughed as she began to beat her bag of crackers with a smile.

"I'm not as strong as you are, Jane," Maura laughed as she watched Jane's smile grow with every hit she delivered to the crackers.

"It's not about being strong," Jane said as she opened her bag of crackers, now crumbs, and dumped them into a mixing bowl before placing more crackers into her bag to begin the process again. "It's about getting out all your stress."

"That's why I do yoga," Maura explained. "And besides, I'm feeling very rejuvenated and relaxed today. I slept well last night."

"Me, too," Jane smiled. "But maybe I'll have to stress you out a bit," she grinned as she picked up a small bit of the crushed cracker crumbs with the tips of her fingers and flung them at Maura, some landing in her hair but most attaching themselves to the shirt she wore.

"Jane!" Maura laughed as she looked at Jane's wide smile. "You are such a child sometimes," she said as she resumed her ministrations on the bag.

"I know," Jane replied. "But seriously, Maur, you can totally do better than that! Imagine that Pike just took all your #10 scalpels and replaced them with the #12 with the extra-long handle."

Maura's eyes widened at the thought and she began to move her hands a bit rougher over the crackers, her eyes narrowing.

"Good, now imagine that he's sitting in your chair," Jane continued, laughing at the way Maura's movements sped up and became more aggressive.

"And he's adjusted the height of your chair!" Jane added, causing Maura to pound the crackers in a manner similar to what Jane had been doing earlier. Jane laughed, prompting Maura to laugh as she continued to beat the bag with Jane at her side. Jane moved to begin crushing her bag when a knock resounded through the house.

"You keep imagining Pike and those #12 scalpels," Jane smiled as she brushed crumbs from her hand. "That's probably one of the local cops," she added as she walked to the front door and opened it, her smile quickly fading.

"Hello, Janet."

"Rodger, hi," Jane said as she took in the man standing on her front porch.

"Hi," the man greeted with a large smile. "I'm sorry for dropping by without warning. Can I come in?"

"Uh, actually Morgan and I are in the middle of something," Jane said with a tight lipped smile.

"I just have the forms for you ladies to fill out to claim your weekend trip to New York City," he said as he held up a folder. "It won't take long to fill them out, I promise."

"I can take them and Morgan and I will fill them out later tonight and then we can bring them to the studio," Jane said as she maintained her grip on the door handle with one hand and took a small step towards Rodger to take the forms.

Without warning, Rodger pulled a pistol from where he had tucked it in the waist band of his khakis and aimed it at Jane, the paper dropping to the porch as he gripped it with two hands, obviously confident with a gun.

"I suggest you let me in, Janet," Rodger said calmly.

"Morgan," Jane called to Maura as she maintained eye contact with Rodger.

Hearing Jane use her undercover name caused Maura to stop pounding the graham crackers and turn to the door, taking only a few steps before Jane spoke again.

"You should go out into the backyard and turn the grill on so we can cook lunch," Jane said, praying that Maura wouldn't come to the front door and find herself in Rodger's line of fire.

"Don't!" barked Rodger as he let one of his hands release the gun and grab Jane's wrist violently before dragging her into the house and slamming the door shut, locking it and slipping the chain lock in place.

Maura's eyes widened as she saw Rodger drag Jane into the foyer where she had stopped dead in her tracks.

"Aw, how cute," Rodger sneered as he pulled Jane to the kitchen and slammed her down into one of the large chairs. "The newlyweds were baking a pie. I'm terribly sorry to interrupt," he said as he released Jane's hand and quickly pulled a thick rope from his messenger bag and forced Jane's wrists together behind her back. Upon feeling that her hands were going to be bound, Jane's instincts kicked in and she leapt from the chair and attempted to pull her hands from Rodger's grasp.

"Not so fast," Rodger said as he raised the gun and brought it down to hit at the base of Jane's neck, pain erupting through her body. Though Jane kept her cry silent, Maura couldn't help the scream that escaped her lips as she watched Jane's hands be bound behind the chair. "You're next," Rodger grinned as he winked at Maura before tying Jane's legs to their respective legs of the tall chair.

"No," Maura said softly as she shook her head and took a few steps away from Rodger, inching towards the door.

"You run from me and I shoot you in the back," Rodger said as he stood up and smiled at the ropes that tied Jane and the fire in her eyes he knew she couldn't feed since she was tied down. "And then I kill your wife and you never get to say any last words to her," he smiled as he watched Maura stop moving. "Now be a good little lady and come sit over here."

Maura locked eyes with Jane, hoping for some sort of direction from the experienced detective. Jane neither nodded nor shook her head, trying to tell Maura that she was sorry and that she was still formulating a plan.

"I said get over here," Rodger shouted as he lunged for Maura and grabbed her arm, yanking her to the chair next to Jane. Maura let out a soft cry at the pain from his nails digging into her arm before he shoved her down roughly and began to tie her in an identical manner to Jane.

"I'm sorry," Jane said as she watched the man tie Maura up roughly.

"Shut up," Rodger snapped as he turned both women's chairs so they could see each other but still had distance between their bound bodies. "Did you two know that I was part of the first couple to ever win New Haven Newlyweds?" he said as he began to pull items from his bag—a hunting knife, lighter, Exacto knife, and another gun. "Oh, yeah," he continued as he watched Jane and Maura's eyes follow his movements. "My wife and I won back in 2006. We had a score of 3, 105. We were so happy together. Until she left me six months later for some dyke she fell for. Which makes killing you even better than killing the other couples."

"You're the person who killed the other three couples who scored over 3,000 points on the show?" Jane asked, desperately hoping he would keep talking long enough for her to formulate a plan to get her and Maura to safety.

"Yep," Rodger grinned. "Ya see, those three couples were all so happy and so in love. It made me absolutely sick," he growled. "They all thought they were about to get their stupid happily ever after fairytale ending. But we all know that happy endings don't happen."

"I think they do," Maura replied softly.

"Oh, really? Then explain why my wife decided to go all lesbo on me after we got married. Explain how that's a happy ending."

"She found someone with whom she could be her authentic self," Maura said as she locked eyes with Jane. "Someone who let her be true to who she was worried to be and embraced her for what others shunned her because of. I feel like that is a perfectly happy ending."

"And that's happy for me how?" Rodger yelled.

"She is happy with the woman she met so, if you really loved her, than you should be happy as well," Maura said.

"Okay," Rodger said with a shrug. "I was gonna hit your wife first but I think you've just changed my mind," he added as he changed his grip on the gun to grip the barrel and brought the handle of the gun down onto Maura's knee without warning, causing the blonde to shriek in pain and Jane to pull on her bound hands futilely.

"You hurt her again and I will kill you," Jane shouted as she continued to struggle against her restraints.

"Says the middle aged female professor who is bound to a chair," Rodger smirked as he watched Maura's face contort in pain. "I plan to hurt your little Morgan and you much more before the day ends," he confessed. "I poisoned the first couple, which was a nice intro. Then staging the car crash and watching the second couple die was even better. Beating the third couple to death was definitely the best feeling as I watched up close as their lives left their eyes. Which is what I plan to do to you after I've had my way with you."

"You do whatever you wanna do to me but you leave Morgan alone," Jane nearly growled.

"Whatever I wanna do to you?" Rodger repeated as he walked towards Jane and brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"Yes," was Jane's steady reply.

"No," Maura said, her voice firm. "We are in this together, Janet.

* * *

Nearly two hours later and Jane had managed to direct much of Rodger's rage at her body instead of Maura's. Frost had called twice in a row earlier and, when the phone began to ring a third time, Rodger had thrown it across the room and shattered it. Jane was hoping that Frost would soon come to check on them and stop the beatings.

Maura had been smacked across the face several times and Rodger had used the butt of his gun to hit her knees before taking a large serving fork from their kitchen, heating it with his lighter, and pressing it to Maura's shin until it cooled.

Jane's nose had been dislocated early on and had a cut on one of her eyebrows from a slap where Rodger's ring caught her skin. Rodger seemed to enjoy kicking Jane's legs that were tied to the chair, cutting her pant legs at the knee so he could see the bruising forming on her shins up to her knees. He had grasped Jane's forearms in his hands and twisted, giving her a burn that made her eyes water.

"Had enough ladies?" Rodger asked, grinning as he watched Jane's labored breathing and the concern with which Maura looked at her. "I can end it all right now or we can keep playing. Personally I'd like to keep playing but I am craving some pad Thai from that place down the road."

"I don't know what to do," Jane admitted, her voice and face defeated. "I'm so sorry," she added as she avoided Maura's gaze. "I need to tell you something," Jane whispered, trying to keep Rodger from hearing.

"What is it?" Maura smiled.

"Getting to hold you like last night was amazing. It sounds like those stupid romantic comedies I hate but I can die happy now that I know what it's like to hold you like that," Jane said as she felt emotions bubbling up inside of her and threatening to spill out. "But I can't die unless I tell you what you mean to me."

"No," Maura interrupted. "You are not going to say your goodbyes right now. Not like this, okay?"

"Please, Maur. Let me say this."

"Look at me," Maura said gently as she forced herself to avoid looking at the hunting knife Rodger was twirling in his hands.

"What?" Jane asked, swallowing a lump in her throat as she saw tear tracks on Maura's cheeks.

"Do you trust me?" Maura asked, her eyes telling Jane that it was a real question she needed to know the answer to.

"More than anyone else," Jane replied.

"Remember that, okay?" Maura asked. "Remember that you trust me."

"What the hell are you to dykes whispering about?" Rodger spat as he glared at both women.

"I used to be like you," Maura said, quickly turning to face Rodger's angry face.

"You are nothing like me, you dumb bitch," Rodger said as he began to move the knife so it caught the light.

"I was," Maura continued. "I found the love of my life in a man. We met while abroad and fell madly in love. I was certain that he and I would be together forever until he decided to stay abroad while I moved back to the United States. He and I saw each other sporadically whenever he could come to me and we would spend a week in a love bubble until he left without warning. But I was still convinced he was the love of my life."

"And this relates to me how?"

"I told him that he couldn't keep coming into my life and then leaving whenever it suited him," Maura said sadly. "I thought I would die from the pain of losing him because I knew that my chance at happily ever after was gone. My happy ending was now living abroad while I was in Massachusetts. I lost my happily ever after."

"But you married that," Rodger said as he gestured to Jane who was watching their exchange with curious eyes.

"Yes," Maura smiled. "I married Janet because sometimes it takes two tries to get a happily ever after. Which means that you still have a chance to have your happily ever after. You could walk out of here and move somewhere else and no one would ever know what happened here. You could have a second chance at the happily ever after that you want."

"And risk you guys going to the cops? Fuck no, I'm not leaving with you still alive," Rodger said angrily.

"I still love him," Maura said. "The man who broke my heart. Ian Faulkner. I still love him."

"Okay…?" Rodger asked, growing annoyed with Maura's story. "What are you trying to tell me with that stupid story?"

"If Janet Hamilton were not in the picture anymore, Morgan Hamilton could easily fly to Africa and become Morgan Faulkner," Maura said, her voice shaking as she prayed that her words worked as she hoped they would.

"Are you actually suggesting that I kill your wife and let you go?" Rodger asked in disbelief.

Jane sat staring at Maura, desperately trying to understand what Maura was trying to do with her words but failing as she watched Maura nod her head at Rodger, silently telling him that he should kill Jane and let Maura go.

"Maur," Jane said, unable to stay silent any longer.

"Can it!" Rodger yelled at Jane, trying to process what Maura has just suggested he do. "I like your plan," Rodger said after several minutes of silence.

"What?" Jane asked, unable to believe that Rodger was thinking that killing Jane and letting Maura go free would work.

"I kill you," Rodger said as he walked behind Jane and yanked on her hair, pulling her head back and placing the knife to Jane's throat. "Then your little wife gets to live her true happily ever after without you," he whispered in Jane's ear as he pressed down on the knife.

At the feeling of cool metal on her neck and putrid breath in her ears, Jane felt her mind transport her to the basement in Western Massachusetts where Hoyt pinned her to the floor with scalpels in her palms. Maura watched Jane's eyes grow wide before glazing over and knew one of two things would happen. Jane would either begin to attempt to fight of Rodger or she would freeze.

Jane froze.

"Wait!" Maura called out, stopping Rodger from pressing down but he kept the large knife on Jane's neck.

"What now?" he asked in a huff.

"I think she has gone into some sort of shock," Maura quickly said. "I need you to look into her eyes and tell me if there is pupil dilation," she continued, hoping that Rodger didn't think too hard about her words.

"What does that matter?"

"If she has gone into shock from injuries, then you won't be able to see the life drain from her eyes like you want. So you're going to have to look directly in her eyes and tell me if her pupils dilate in this light or are still small," Maura improvised. "I've got a medical degree," she added, hoping to convince Rodger to do what she asked.

"I do wanna see the life leave her eyes," Rodger said as he pulled his knife from Jane's throat where a small cut had already been made and blood began to drip from the wound. Jane's eyes were wide and unable to process what was happening as Rodger moved to stand in between Jane and Maura's chairs, leaning down slightly to look into Jane's eyes.

Before he could ask Maura what he was looking for, he felt two fists hit his back and force air from his lungs as he lost his balance, hitting his head on the corner of Jane's seat as he fell to the ground. Maura rocked her chair until it tipped forward and she fell to her pained knees and scrambled for the hunting knife Rodger had dropped. Maura quickly hit Rodger's head with the butt of the knife to keep him down before twisting her body to cut the rope from her legs.

Maura's face in front of her eyes snapped Jane from her flashback and she found herself once again tied to the chair in New Haven, only this time Maura was free and Rodger was lying face down on the kitchen floor.

"Jane?" Maura repeated, trying to lure Jane from where her mind had taken her.

"My hands," Jane stammered as she tried to pull her hands free from the binding. "Please, Maura. My hands," she repeated desperately.

Maura quickly realized what Jane needed and moved behind Jane and used the sharp knife to slice through the ropes that bound Jane's hands before moving to release her legs.

Feeling her limbs freed, Jane felt a rush of emotions flood her and couldn't contain the sob that escaped her lips.

Maura was quickly back in front of her, wrapping her arms around Jane who, without hesitation, wrapped her own arms around Maura's waist and grabbed two fistfuls of the shirt Maura wore to anchor herself to Maura.

"Call Frost," Jane managed to say, although she made to effort to let Maura go.

"Shhh," Maura soothed as she allowed Jane to cling to her. "Let's get you breathing a bit steadier first," Maura said as she ran her fingers through the ends of Jane's hair.

"Is he dead?" Jane stammered as she caught a glimpse of the man who had been holding them lying face down on the floor.

"I don't think so," Maura replied softly as she pulled her head away slightly to look into Jane's eyes. "But he hit his head on the way down and I also gave him a whack so he should be out for a bit."

"I'm so sorry," Jane gasped as she attempted to fill her lungs with air.

"Oh, Jane," Maura said gently. "Please don't start beating yourself up over this. Please."

"But-"

"No," Maura firmly said. "You don't get to beat yourself up over something I volunteered to do. Let's go sit on the couch and call Frost so we can sit comfortably as we wait for him and the local cops to arrive."

Jane simply nodded and silently released the hold she had on Maura's shirt, allowing Maura to take her hand and lead them both to the couch, their legs threatening to give out with every step. They collapsed on the couch and Maura grasped the house phone, quickly dialing Frost and telling him he needed to get to their townhome quickly and with back up. She promised to explain when he arrived and hung up promptly, her main focus being Jane and she ball she had curled herself into on the other side of the couch.

"Jane, we have to stay awake," Maura said gently as she scooted over to sit next to Jane. "Our head injuries are likely not serious but just to be safe."

"It hurts," Jane said as she kept her body as small as possible.

"I know it does, Jane," Maura said. "Please, if you are going to lie down at least do so with your head near my lap so I can keep an eye on you."

Wordlessly, Jane raised her sore body into a sitting position before laying back down, this time with her head placed directly in Maura's lap, looking up at Maura's face as if that face alone could keep her grounded. Maura began to stroke Jane's hair gently, starting at the hairline of her forehead and working down. She was not trying to brush or untangle it but simply offer comfort.

It was in this position that Frost found the two women when he arrived shortly after Maura's call, both women bruised, sore, and with tears in their eyes.

* * *

**So, clearly my strong suit is fluff and not this sort of stuff. So please be kind in your reviews. I know that this chapter is not as strong as my others and I am sorry that you might not enjoy it.**

**The next chapters will see a conversation between Jane and Maura about what happened as well as their trip to New York City since they deserve a bit of a getaway. That, I assure you, will be fluffy and lovely. But I think there will be only about 3 more chapters.**

**Once again, please do not be rude/extremely harsh in your review since I am very much aware that this chapter is not strong.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you all for the kind words on the previous chapter! I hope that I keep living up to your expectations.**

**Here we go!**

* * *

Jane sat at the edge of a hospital bed with her head angled down to stare at the floor, an ice pack melting on the bedding after being placed on her nose for only a few moments. She and Maura had been driven to a small hospital in the town next to New Haven and had been separated since entering the facility and ushered to different exam rooms.

"How ya feelin', partner?" Frost asked gently as he entered Jane's room.

"I'm fine," Jane insisted. "Have you checked on Maura?" she asked, keeping her eyes downcast.

"Yeah," Frost nodded. "She's got bruised kneecaps and the burn on her shin. She's also got a cut on her right eyebrow that she thinks she got when she tipped her chair forward and attacked the guy. She's a bit shaken up but other than that she's alright."

"I dropped the ball, Frost," Jane said as she ran her hands through her hair. "I knew that someone was gonna come after us after we won and I let my guard down. I should have insisted we bug our townhome in case something like this happened or should have just drop kicked Rodger when he was on the porch or had some sort of check in system set up to let you know we were in trouble."

"Don't beat yourself up, Jane," Frost said. "We all dropped the ball, okay? New Haven PD, us, we all knew something might happen but we thought we had time before it did. The murders never took place this soon after the other couples won so we thought you and the doc were safe. So don't blame yourself, partner."

"You gonna take our statements here or back in Boston?" Jane asked, making no attempts to smoothly change the subject.

"Cavanaugh wants to be there so we're gonna take 'em back in Boston," Frost replied. "I asked the nurses on my way to your room and they said they'd draw up discharge papers for you and the doc."

"Thanks, man," Jane said as she finally lifted her eyes from the floor and made eye contact with her partner.

"Not a problem," Frost smiled. "You really should put that ice pack on your nose," he said as he gestured to the discarded ice pack next to Jane.

"Gee, thanks Mama Frost," Jane joked, a smile gracing her lips for the first time since Rodger knocked on their door.

"I ain't trying to be your mother cuz Lord knows I can barely handle you at work," Frost laughed. "But I am trying to make sure your real mother doesn't freak out when she sees you."

"Oh, God," Jane groaned as she grabbed the ice pack and placed it on her nose, muttering about her over protective mother who doesn't understand what life is like for a cop.

An hour later, Jane was ignoring nurses who insisted she use a wheelchair to leave the hospital and began to walk on sore legs towards the elevator. The lower halves of her legs were bruised from Rodger's kicks but she insisted she was fine to walk on them. It wasn't until she saw Frost pushing Maura in a wheelchair that she needed to steady herself against the wall. She hung back, watching as they waited for the elevator. When it arrived and Frost guided Maura's chair into the metal box, turning the chair around, Jane and Maura's eyes met.

"Are you coming?" Maura asked with a soft smile, prompting Frost to place a hand on the elevator doors and hold them open.

"Yeah," Jane said as she took her hand from the wall and walked into the elevator, her body tense with both physical and emotional pain.

Maura reached her hand out and found Jane's, giving it a reassuring squeeze to convey to Jane that she was fine and there was no need to be so tense. Jane smiled and squeezed Maura's hand in return but as soon as the elevator doors opened, she let it go to walk towards Frost's car that would take them back to Boston in one of the quietest car rides any of the three had ever experienced.

* * *

Jane sat staring at the replacement phone Frost had gotten her, simultaneously praying Maura would contact her yet hoping she wouldn't. The clock on her VCR told her that it was nearly 11 at night but she felt no desire to go to her bedroom. She wanted to be with Maura or at least hear her voice to remind her that they had survived yet she knew that if she were with Maura, it would be impossible to keep her emotions at bay. Jane had just clenched her eyes shut when the phone vibrated and, upon opening one of her eyes, Jane saw Maura's name flash on the screen.

_Please stop beating yourself up for what happened. You know that I don't blame you for anything._

Jane couldn't help but laugh softly as she read Maura's text. The doctor really did know Jane better than anyone else.

_How do you know I'm beating myself up? Maybe I'm throwing a rager at my place._

_Rager?_

_Ya know. A rager. Crazy party with loud music and lots of booze and strobe lights that give you a migraine. _

_Oh. Well, I know that you are not throwing a rager because there is no music coming from your apartment, the doctors told you to avoid alcohol for 24 hours, and the only lights coming from your apartment are from your living room. _

Jane's eyebrows furrowed as she re-read Maura's texts before she heard soft knocking coming from her door.

"Maura," Jane breathed as she looked through the peephole and opened her door to greet Maura. "How did you get here?" Jane asked as she stepped into the hallway to wrap an arm around Maura's waist and help her walk to Jane's couch, noticing the pained expression on Maura's face from her bruised knees.

"I took a cab," Maura replied as she allowed Jane to guide her to a seated position on the couch. "May I put my feet on the table?" Maura asked. "With bruised kneecaps it is best to elevate them."

"Yeah, go ahead," Jane said quickly. "I'll go grab some pillows," she added as she darted to her bedroom, reemerging with two pillows that, after receiving a nod from Maura, she slid underneath Maura's knees for support.

"Thank you," Maura said softly.

"Is everything okay?" Jane asked, sitting down nervously next to Maura. "Do I need to go get you stronger pain meds or bandages for your burn?"

"No," Maura replied gently. "Physically I will make a full recovery in about a week or two since the bruising isn't too bad."

"But emotionally that isn't the case…" Jane said softly, closing her eyes and she once again was reminded that Maura had been put in a horrible situation because of her.

"Are you angry with me?"

"What?" Jane asked, her eyes flying open to see Maura looking at her, genuinely concerned that Jane was angry with her.

"Ever since we sat down on the couch after subduing Rodger, you haven't said a word to me," Maura pointed out, her voice sad.

"Maura, no," Jane said honestly. "I am not angry at you at all. You gotta believe me when I say that."

"Then why haven't you spoken to me? Why did you choose to come to your apartment instead of staying at my place tonight? Why can't I shake the thought that something is bothering you?"

"Because there _are_ things that are bothering me," Jane admitted as she began to rub at the scars on her palms.

"So talk to me about them," Maura suggested.

"I can't, Maura. It's stupid and I can work through the emotions on my own."

"Please, Jane. Don't shut me out, especially not after these past few days."

"You still love Ian," Jane stated simply as she purposefully avoided Maura's gaze and caught Maura by surprise.

"What?" Maura asked, Jane's question nothing near what she expected.

"You told Rodger that you still were in love with Ian," Jane elaborated.

"Well, yes," Maura said. "I think part of me will always be in love with Ian. He was like a drug that permanently altered my body chemistry. But just because part of my heart will always belong to Ian does not mean that I am going to be with him or even that I would want to be with him."

"Just say the word and I'll take you to the airport," Jane said with a soft smile.

"Jane, is that what's bothering you so much? I once told you that I consider Ian to be the love of my life and I thought that was something you understood," Maura said, confusion clear in her voice.

"No, I do understand," Jane said. "It's just that hearing you talk to Rodger got me thinking. In our little undercover universe, Janet was second to Ian. And I know why you said what you said but it got me thinking about in what other ways I'm second."

"Jane," Maura began.

"Please, Maura," Jane said. "Let me get this out. Please?"

"Okay," Maura said with a gentle nod of her head, realizing that Jane wanting to talk about her emotions was a rare occurrence.

"I was always second to the army with Casey," Jane began as she felt herself opening up to Maura. "Pop's work always came first and family second growing up and now it's pop's new life in Florida before us here in Boston. On my first ever date the guy told me that he only asked me out because his first choice turned him down. Ma always had to pay more attention to Tommy since he got into trouble so much. Hell, I even put myself second to the job," Jane continued, speaking fast for fear she would lose her confidence to speak openly about emotions. "Hearing you talk to Rodger just made me remember how shitty it felt when Ian was last in town. Because you were saying that Janet was second to Ian and it just made me remember how it felt for Jane to be second to Ian."

"I never meant for you to feel like you were second to Ian," Maura said sadly, realizing how much Ian coming back into town had strained her relationship with Jane.

"I know," Jane smiled. "I don't think you have a mean bone in your body," she added. "It just sucked to feel like I was my best friend's second choice."

"But you and Ian are in totally different categories," Maura pointed out. "He was a romantic partner and you are…You're my best friend," Maura said, not technically lying.

"That's the problem," Jane muttered as she ran a hand over her face.

"Pardon?" Maura asked, Jane's hands in front of her mouth making it impossible for Maura to understand what had been said.

"Nothing," Jane said as she rubbed her sweaty palms on her upper thighs and then forced herself into a standing position. "And then when Rodger put the knife on my neck I couldn't stop my mind from taking me back to Hoyt," Jane continued as she began to pace near her couch. "And I know that you had to have him do that so you could do your whole 'She's gone into shock, you need to turn around and look into her eyes so I can punch you,' thing but I just froze because it was like I was right back in the basement."

"I shouldn't have done that to you, Jane," Maura said as she angled her torso to watch Jane pace, feeling anxious just watching the detective pace. "I shouldn't have put you in such a triggering position in order to escape."

"No, no, no," Jane said as she shook her head. "You did good, Maura. Really good. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do in order to survive a dangerous situation." Jane continued to pace until stopping abruptly. "You saved me," Jane said, turning to face Maura.

"I really didn't-"

"Yes, Maura, you did," Jane said with a soft laugh. "You somehow got outta those knots and subdued Rodger before he could kill me…" the detective trailed off. "How _did_ you get outta those knots?"

"While at boarding school I took a sailing class and found solace while on the water. Part of the class was learning several knots, both simple and complex, and how to tie and untie them," Maura explained. "The knots Rodger used were simple variations of some of the knots I'm familiar with so I managed to untie them."

"Guess boarding school ain't so useless," Jane said.

"I was just trying to level the playing field," Maura smiled as she met Jane's eyes. "You've saved me at least three times so it only seemed fitting that I save you at least once."

"Saying thank you hardly seems like enough," Jane said, swallowing the lump of emotions in her throat.

"Now you know how I've felt those other times," Maura smiled. "I meant what I said years ago, Jane. I love you."

Hearing those words sent a jolt of pain through Jane and she suddenly felt desperate for fresh air.

"I gotta go," Jane said, her chest tightening as she searched her pockets for her keys.

"What? Jane, it's past 11 at night," Maura said as she cursed her bruised knees that made moving suddenly nearly impossible. "Plus this is _your_ apartment. If you need space, I can call a cab back to my house."

"I'll be safe," Jane said as she opened her front door. "You can stay here tonight. I know the bed isn't as comfy as the ones at your place but…I'm sorry," Jane added before shutting the door gently and jogging down the stairs, sucking in a few deep breaths of air once she made it into the cool September air. She began to walk, trying to force herself to work through the emotions she was feeling before they caused her to explode.

After Jane disappeared into the evening, Maura waited a few minutes before standing on unsteady legs and grabbing the pillows from under her knees, making her way to Jane's bedroom, collapsing on the brunette's bed. She still wore Jane's old academy shirt and jeans but couldn't find it in herself to change before pulling Jane's comforter over her and wrapping her arms around one of the pillows, inhaling the distinctly Jane scent to calm her anxiety.

Jane had been walking on autopilot, organizing the thoughts the time with Maura had forced to the surface. She snapped out of her revere when she realized that her subconscious had brought her to Maura's front door.

"Really?" Jane muttered as she ran a hand through her hair. She still wasn't ready to talk to Maura so she used the key Maura had given her to enter her house. "Hey, Bass," Jane said softly as she noticed the tortoise sitting near the kitchen. "Hope it's okay that I'm here when your mama isn't," she continued before realizing she was talking to a tortoise.

Jane sat at Maura's kitchen island for only a few moments before the silence and stillness got to her. She slid from the barstool and began to open kitchen cupboards, pulling out the various baking supplies needed for her peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. She smiled at the fair-trade chocolate chips Maura kept in her pantry and organic peanut butter in the fridge as she moved through the kitchen with as much ease as she did in her own kitchen.

She had just begun to sift the flour, sugar, and salt together when there was movement that caught Jane's eyes

"Jane?"

"Ma. Hi," Jane said as she looked up and saw her mother, clad in her pajamas and with her hair pulled into a ponytail.

"You're baking," Angela stated as she move to sit on the barstool across from Jane. "Which means something is wrong."

"It's-"

"Where's Maura?" Angela interrupted, noticing the lack of the medical examiner.

"My place," Jane sighed as she turned on Maura's electric mixer and began to mix dry and wet ingredients.

"So why are you here at midnight baking your cookies and not with her? Please don't tell me that my girls are fighting again," Angela said sadly.

"We're not fighting," Jane reassured her mother as she watched the cookie dough begin to blend. "Can you hand me those chocolate chips?" Jane asked, nodded her head to the bag near Angela.

"You sure?" Angela asked as she reached for the chocolate chips and slid the bag towards Jane.

"Yeah, ma, I'm sure," Jane sighed. "She took a cab to my place because she was worried that I was mad at her. Which I'm not," Jane quickly said as she noticed her mother open her mouth to speak. "The past few days being in New Haven with her just forced some things into my mind and we got to talking about some of them and what do I do when I start to get emotional?"

"You run," Angela stated.

"Bingo," Jane said as she began to pour the bag of chocolate chips into the mixer. "I ran from my best friend and my own apartment," Jane said, shaking her head at her own actions.

"Emotions can be scary," Angela comforted. "And I know that you don't always wanna confide in me, but you're my daughter and I am always here if you need to work through those scary emotions."

"Thanks, ma," Jane said as she turned the mixer off and grabbed the cookie sheet.

"I love you, Jane," Angela smiled as she moved to slide from the barstool.

"Can I ask you something?" Jane asked, avoiding her mother's gaze as she scooped cookie dough onto the tray.

"Of course," Angela smiled, relaxing back down onto the barstool in hopes that Jane would open up.

"Do you remember when I was young and you, nana, and I talked about soul mates? I must have been 10 or 11 and you guys told me that people once had two heads and four arms ad four legs but only one soul and that legend has it that Zeus split them in half since he thought they were too powerful," Jane said, smiling as she remembered the phase she went through as a kid where she obsessed over mythology and her mother indulged her.

"I do," Angela laughed. "You never wanted to read anything for school but you checked out every mythology book in the library and made me teach you how to photocopy the pictures you liked best."

"God, I was such a goofy kid," Jane laughed.

"Just a little," Angela smiled. "Why do you ask about that particular story?"

"I remember you and nana telling me that no matter who my soul mate turned out to be, you both would still love me," Jane reminisced.

"Of course, Janie," Angela replied. "You know that I'll always love you no matter what type of man you end up with."

"What if it's not a man?" Jane asked, turning around to slide the two cookie trays into the oven.

"What?" Angela asked.

"What if my soul mate is a woman?" Jane repeated, turning to look into her mother's eyes, her own eyes filled with fear that her mother might reject her.

"Oh, Jane," Angela breathed as she saw the scared look in her daughter's eyes.

"Would you still love me?"

"Of course I would still love you," Angela said as she rose from the barstool and was wrapping Jane in her arms in seconds, grateful that Jane at least wrapped her arms around her. "There is nothing in the world that could ever make me stop loving you," Angela said as she took Jane's face in her hands and looked her in the eyes. "You hear me?"

"Yeah," Jane said with a soft smile. "Thank you," she added gratefully.

"I love you, Jane Clementine Rizzoli," Angela said as she pressed kiss to Jane's cheek, causing the detective to roll her eyes. "Now go back to your place and your soul mate. I'll tidy up here."

"What?" Jane asked.

"Go back to Maura," Angela elaborated. "She is the soul mate you're referring to, right?"

"Yeah, but, uh, I haven't exactly told her anything," Jane admitted as she pulled out from her mother's grasp and began to tidy up her mess while the cookies baked.

"Why not?"

"Because she's Maura!" Jane stated as if her mother had sprouted a second head. "She's so far outta my league that it's ridiculous to think she'd ever want to be with me like that. Plus I've never heard her talking about liking women. Which is two strikes against me and three strikes means I am outta Boston and moving to Timbuktu."

"Sweetheart, I've seen the way that you two look at each other when you think the other isn't paying attention. It's a look that is filled with so much love and happiness and fascination. Maura may have more money than you but that hasn't stopped you two from being friends. And I've never heard you talk about liking women but here we are. Which means that the two strikes you thought you had don't actually exist," Angela said firmly.

"I can't lose her, ma," Jane said sadly. "If I tell her that I think she's the person I'm meant to be with and she doesn't agree or freaks out that I'm into women and shuts me out, I don't think I could handle that," Jane admitted as the oven timer went off and she pulled two trays of cookies from the oven. "We're happy where we are now," Jane shrugged.

"But could you maybe be happier if you were in a relationship with her?" Angela asked gently.

"God yes," Jane smiled as she imagined getting to wake up with Maura in her arms every day.

"Don't be like me, Jane," Angela said sadly. "Don't settle for someone who isn't your soul mate because it's safe or because you're scared. If you think that being with Maura would make you even happier and you truly believe that she is your soul mate, you better tell her. Don't make my mistakes, Janie."

"I won't," Jane assured her mother softly, accepting her mother's kiss on the cheek before watching her walk back into the guest house.

Jane made two more trays of cookies before running out of dough and returning the kitchen to its pristine condition. She plated the cookies onto two plates and covered them with plastic wrap, setting them on the center of the island where Maura would see them clearly. Jane then grabbed a notecard and pen and scribbled a note.

_Maura,  
I'm sorry I ran out last night. Cav says that Internal Affairs is cracking down so we can't take our free trip to NYC but maybe once your knees heal we can go anyways. Take the train on a Friday and spend a weekend there. Maybe by then I'll be able to explain why I ran out. _

_Please enjoy the cookies. I already gave one to Bass and he says he loves 'em._

_Jane_

She propped the note up in front of the two plates of cookies and smiled at her handiwork. She flicked the kitchen light off and made her way to Maura's bedroom, curling up on the bed and clutching one of Maura's pillows just like Maura was doing in her apartment.

* * *

Maura gave the cab driver a soft smile as she handed him a few bills to cover the fare from Jane's apartment to her home. The sun had barely begun to appear in the sky but after Maura woke up to no sign of Jane, she decided to change her clothes and go to the station where she hoped Jane would be. She walked gingerly up to her front door and smiled at Bass as she entered.

"Hi, there," she greeted the tortoise as she set her purse down and turned to the kitchen to get him a strawberry, stopping in her tracks when she saw the cookies. She walked as quickly as her stiff limbs would allow to the island and picked up the note, smiling as she read Jane's words. She felt her chest relax as she realized Jane probably had stayed with her mother in the guest house and was safe. Opting to indulge herself, Maura took a cookie from beneath the plastic wrap and walked to her bedroom, nearly dropping the cookie in surprise as she saw a figure sleeping in her bed.

"Jane," Maura whispered as she noticed the dark curls on her pillow.

Forgetting her plan to shower and get dressed to go to the station, Maura silently walked to her side of the bed and slowly slid beneath the comforter to face Jane's sleeping face. She allowed herself a few minutes to study the features of her best friend, noticing how relaxed Jane looked as she slept.

"I can decipher nearly any code or formula placed in front of me yet I can't seem to decipher what's going on inside of my best friend's mind," Maura said softly.

"Some genius you are," Jane murmured in reply, causing Maura's eyes to widen.

"I didn't mean to wake you," Maura stammered. "I came home to change so I could go to the station and see if you were there. But you were here and I just…I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize," Jane said, her voice still thick with sleep. "What time is it?"

"It's not even 7," Maura replied. "I woke up early and after seeing you hadn't returned to your apartment, I couldn't go back to sleep."

"Sorry," Jane said as she forced her eyes open to meet Maura's. "I should have texted you to tell you I was okay."

"As long as you're okay now, all is forgiven," Maura smiled as she met Jane's sleepy eyes.

"Yeah, I'm okay," Jane said with a small smile. "And I'll be even more okay when I text Cavanaugh that I'm not coming in until afternoon so I can get some more sleep," she added as she groped around for her phone, effectively knocking it from the bedside table.

"I'll call him," Maura smiled as she moved into a sitting position and dialed Cavanaugh's number, politely asking him if she and Jane could come in later to deliver their statements. He agreed without a second thought and Maura quickly put her phone back on the table and lay back down.

"Did you really feed Bass a cookie?" Maura asked, turning her head to face Jane with a smile.

"Of course," Jane grinned. "He told me how much he loved the cookies. But he also suggested I learn to make something that involved British strawberries. I'm thinking a cookie with white chocolate chips and strawberries."

"Sounds delicious," Maura smiled as she imagined Jane baking a cookie inspired by her tortoise. "Maybe we can develop the recipe while in New York and then experiment when we return."

"Sounds like a plan," Jane replied as she lifted her head from the pillow and fluffed the pillow up a little bit before resting it back down. "Roll over," Jane commanded as she pushed on Maura's shoulder playfully.

"Roll over?" Maura asked, not sure what Jane meant.

"Yeah, roll over," Jane said again.

"Why?"

"Mauraaaa," Jane whined, prompting Maura to roll onto her side and face away from Jane. Her eyebrows were furrowed in confusion until she felt Jane drape an arm around Maura's waist like she had done the other night. "This okay?" Jane asked, pulling her and Maura's bodies flush against each other and closing her eyes, ready to fall back asleep.

Maura smiled as she placed her arm atop Jane's and silently maneuvered their arms so instead of resting across Maura's midsection, they were resting with their clasped hands just above Maura's heart and their arms running down between Maura's breasts and along the length of her torso.

"Now we're okay."

* * *

**I know that Jane opening up to Angela might seem out of character to some of ya'll but I really wanted to include this scene because, well, I wanted to. Angela has always been there for Jane and, although Jane sometimes rolls her eyes or wishes her mother was more distant, I feel like Jane really does love that her mother is the way she is. And I feel like she'd be genuinely worried that she might lose her mother for loving a woman.**

**Next chapter we will see the women in NYC and talking about feelings. Will Jane run like she did in this chapter? Review and maybe you'll find out sooner.**


	5. Chapter 5

**The kind reviews ya'll leave me never cease to amaze me! It means so much to me that my writing is enjoyable. Seriously, it means more to me than you know.**

**The hotel in this story is not based on any real hotel. The view out their window might not even be possible so please don't leave a review telling me how impossible their hotel room or view from their window is.**

**On with the show!**

* * *

Maura's phone began to play a piece from her favorite Russian opera, slowly growing louder to ease the doctor from sleep. Hearing the notes begin, Jane tightened her grip on Maura and angled her neck down to bury her face into Maura's neck.

"Mornings suck," Jane muttered into Maura's neck, her sleep laden brain not telling her that perhaps burying her face against Maura's neck was too much for their just friends status.

"It's 11am, Jane," Maura laughed as she reached for her phone and shut the alarm off, relaxing back into Jane's arms after doing so.

"Exactly," Jane smiled as she felt Maura make no move to leave her embrace. "AM means it's still the morning."

"Actually, AM simply stands for the Latin phrase 'anti-meridian' which translates to 'before midday,'" Maura explained.

"Thanks, Pointdexter," Jane teased.

"You're welcome, Roly Poly Rizzoli," Maura shot back with a laugh.

"How are your knees feeling?" Jane asked as she felt her own lower legs tingle in pain from the kicks Rodger had delivered to her.

"They are stiff and quite sore but that's most likely from keeping them in the same position all night," Maura replied. "Not that I don't like this position," she added softly.

"It is a pretty nice position, isn't it?" Jane smiled as she lifted her head a few inches to look at Maura's face, a content smile on the blonde's lips as she began to trace her fingertips gently up and down Jane's forearm.

"Mmhmm," Maura agreed. "It seems as though we fit together quite nicely," she mused. She allowed silence to fall over the two of them, continuing to run her fingers up and down Jane's forearm. "Jane?" she asked after several minutes.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry for making you run out last night," Maura said sadly. "I should have asked before coming over or not pushed you to talk about things or said whatever it is I said that hurt you. I hope you can forgive me."

"Oh, Maura," Jane said as she used the hand not wrapped around Maura to prop her head up and look down at the doctor. "There is nothing to forgive. You didn't say anything to hurt me and you know you never need to ask before coming over."

"Then why did you run off?" Maura asked, wiggling her body so she could lie on her back and look up into Jane's eyes, lacing her fingers with Jane's to keep their hands resting over her heart.

"I got scared," Jane said softly. "I can tackle a 300 pound suspect or stare down a gang leader in interrogation but emotions scare the shit out of me. And when I get scared…" Jane trailed off, tearing her gaze away from Maura's.

"You run," Maura finished as she gave Jane's hand a squeeze. "Can you tell me what it is that scared you? So I don't say it again."

"Soon," Jane said as she relaxed her head back down on the pillow and nuzzled against Maura. "I just need a bit of time to find where the hell in my apartment I left my courage."

"It's probably in the laundry basket you've left sitting by your television for the past several months," Maura teased. "The one that Joe uses for a bed instead of the actual bed you purchased for her."

"The only things in that basket are the socks that lost their mates that I threw out but you insisted we pull from the trash," Jane laughed. "I'm not really sure how looking through socks that lost their soul mate is gonna make me feel any courage," Jane said softly.

"You never know, Jane," Maura smiled. "It's always the last place you look."

"I never understood that phrase," Jane though out loud. "Of course whatever you're looking for is in the last place you'd look because why the hell would you keep looking after you've found what you're looking for?"

"Isn't it my job to point out the lack of sense that modern day idioms make?" Maura asked.

"Oh, God," Jane groaned as she pulled away from Maura and flopped onto her back. "We've spent too much time together and we're starting to act like each other. This is bad. Quick. Start reciting all the digits to pi while I go downstairs and chug a beer and watch ESPN!"

* * *

Two weeks later, Maura knees were back to the comfort level they had been at before their attack and so the two women found themselves in a New York City taxi taking them from the airport to their hotel.

"I'm surprised you were okay with flying to New York," Maura said as she watched Jane play a game on her phone.

"I'm kinda surprised, too," Jane replied. "But it was a few bucks cheaper than taking the train and you know how I'm all about saving a few bucks."

"I told you that I would cover your ticket," Maura reminded Jane. "We could have flown first class into the city," she added with a gentle smile.

"The flight was barely over an hour," Jane chuckled as she gave up trying to win the game and set her phone in her lap. "Plus you insisted on booking the hotel room which means we're probably gonna be at some ten star place. I don't want you to spend money on me unnecessarily. I'm not worth it."

"You're right," Maura said as she reached over the space between the two of them to place her hand on Jane's knee. "You aren't worth a first class flight ticket, Jane. You're worth so much more than that. How can I help you see that?"

Jane was saved from answering as the cab pulled into an elegant hotel and a man in a uniform quickly opened her door.

"Welcome to the JW Marriott, ma'am," the man greeted as Jane handed the cab driver a few bills before sliding from the car, Maura exiting from the other side of the cab .

"Pretty swanky," Jane said as she let her eyes roam over the exterior of the hotel.

"Best hotel in all of New York City, if I do say so myself," the young man said as he pulled Jane and Maura's suitcases from the trunk of the cab.

"I agree entirely," Maura smiled as she walked to stand next to Jane and the bell hop. "It has been quite some time since I've been here but it looks just as beautiful as I remember."

"Well, we are glad to have you back," he replied. "May I escort you to the front desk to check in?"

"I can take the bags," Jane said. "There's only two and they both roll so we should be okay."

Maura was just about to tell Jane that she didn't need to carry their bags and that the young man was simply doing his job but when she looked up at Jane, she noticed the way the detective was rubbing her hands and watching the elegantly dressed men and women mill around the grand hotel.

"Thank you for offering to escort us, sir, but we would hate to take your services away from someone who genuinely needs help with their bags," Maura smiled.

"As long as you're sure," he replied as he passed the handles of the bags to Jane.

"We are," Maura said. "Thank you very much for your warm welcome," she added as she handed him a folded bill and then linked her arm with Jane's to begin walking into the hotel's entrance. "There's no need to feel self-conscious," Maura whispered to Jane as they made their way to the front desk.

"Have you seen the way some of these people are dressed, Maura?" Jane asked, keeping her voice low. "I mean, it's not even 11am and some of these people look like they're off to a fashion show."

"And you look just as beautiful without trying," Maura told Jane, smiling as she felt the detective stand just a bit taller as they reached the front desk and Maura began to converse with the workers, receiving their room keys quickly and being pointed towards the elevators.

"What floor are we on?" Jane asked as they made their way to the elevators.

"17," Maura replied.

"We are on the seventeenth floor?!" Jane asked, her eyes lighting up as the elevator doors opened and they entered.

"Don't tell me that you're afraid of heights," Maura teased.

"What? No!" Jane said. "I've just never been up 17 floors before. We better have a damn nice view out our window!"

"I am sure we will," Maura smiled as she turned her head to see Jane's excitement. "If the view is particularly nice, we could even arrange to have masseuses come to the room instead of going to the spa so we can enjoy the view while indulging ourselves."

"That'd be nice," Jane said as she smiled down at Maura.

"Really?" Maura asked, unable to mask the surprise in her voice.

"I mean, it'd be nice if you also wanted to do that. But if you don't wanna then we don't have to. I just thought that since you suggested it that you'd wanna do that," Jane quickly clarified.

"Oh, I do," Maura smiled as the elevator doors opened and they began to locate their room. "But normally I have to persuade you to do anything relaxing. It just caught me off guard that you so willingly would indulge yourself."

"Well, uh," Jane began to try and explain herself.

"Jane," Maura said with a smile as she stopped in front of a door and turned to face Jane, their arms still linked. "You don't need to explain yourself for wanting a massage."

"Sorry," Jane laughed. "Just feeling a bit nervous," she admitted, quickly wishing she could take her words back.

"Why are you nervous?"

"I told you that I'd tell you why I freaked out and ditched you at my place when we got back from New Haven this weekend," Jane explained. "It's just…Me. Emotions. Not good."

"You. Emotions. Good," Maura teased. "Please don't feel nervous. You know that I'm not expecting you to tell me anything you don't want to while we're here. All I am expecting is a fun yet relaxing weekend with my best friend. So how about we slide the key into the reader and see where we will be doing our relaxing?"

"Sounds good," Jane smiled as Maura slid their key card into the door and pushed it open, sliding her arm from where it had been hooked with Jane's so they could enter the room. "Holy shit," Jane breathed as she entered the room. The room was larger than any hotel room she'd ever seen. There was a living area with a couch, coffee table, and entertainment center that she was eager to watch sports on. She set her and Maura's bags down and crossed over into the sleeping area with a large bed, her smile growing wider as she turned the lights on in the bathroom to see a shower with a glass door and a Jacuzzi style tub.

"You like?" Maura asked.

"This is amazing, Maura," Jane said as she reappeared in the living area where Maura stood. "Thank you."

"We should check out the view," Maura suggested as she walked to the large window covered with deep crimson drapes. She gripped one side of the drapes in her hand while Jane grasped a handful of the other side, both pulling their respective sides to reveal their view. Through their window, they had a clear view of Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, the fall sun glittering on the water.

"Wow," Maura breathed out, not anticipating such a view as she walked to stand in the center of their window.

"Wow is right," Jane said as she moved to stand next to Maura.

"I'm glad we're here together, Jane," Maura admitted as she slowly lowered her head to rest on Jane's shoulder. "I don't think there's anyone I'd rather share this view with."

"Me, too," Jane smiled as she slipped an arm around Maura's waist. "You're my best friend, Maura. The best best friend I've ever had. I just want you to remember that. No matter what."

"You're the best best friend I've ever had, too, Jane," Maura smiled, deciding not to prod and ask why Jane was being so sentimental. "What would you like to do first?" Maura asked. "We can tour Times Square or shop or walk Central Park. Maybe take a boat to Ellis Island if you'd like."

"Food," Jane said simply.

"Would you like to go for an early lunch?" Maura laughed.

"Well, we don't have to go right now but I'm gonna need some food before we do any serious sightseeing or…" Jane trailed off before lowering her voice. "Shopping," she finished, forcing her body to shudder for dramatic effect.

"We don't have to go shopping if you don't want to," Maura laughed at Jane's antics.

"No, we're totally going shopping," Jane stated. "Just remember to go easy on me. I ain't a pro like you are."

"I promise to go easy on you," Maura smiled. "How about we do a quick search on my tablet for restaurants we simply have to visit and then head out?"

"Sounds good to me," Jane smiled as she placed a soft kiss to the crown of Maura's head before pulling her arm from Maura's waist reluctantly.

* * *

"God, that massage was wonderful," Jane exclaimed as she emerged from the bathroom in a pair of sweatpants and a BPD hoodie.

"I agree," Maura smiled as she looked up at Jane from her spot curled on the couch. "I think being able to watch the sun begin to set behind the Statue of Liberty made it even better."

"Yeah," Jane said as she plopped on the other side of the couch. "We can sit here and watch it set the rest of the way," Jane noted as she looked out the window. The women sat in comfortable silence until there was a knock at the door.

"I called room service while you changed," Maura explained as she rose to her feet. "I ordered a bottle of wine and asked them to bring a six pack of beer for you," she smiled before opened the door and accepting the mentioned drinks from the hotel staff.

"You're the best," Jane laughed as Maura set the six pack in front of Jane before returning to her spot on the couch across from Jane.

"I do try," Maura grinned as she opened the wine and set it down to breathe before pouring a glass.

"Remember how the night before we did the show you asked what things you didn't know about me and I told you that there's probably not a lot you don't know?" Jane asked after taking a long draw from her beer bottle.

"Yes," was Maura's simple reply.

"Well, I think there is one thing about me that you don't know."

"Jane, I'm fairly certain there are countless things I don't know about you. I don't know where you went to elementary school or what your first pet's name was or-"

"Okay, lemme re-phrase that," Jane said. "I think there is one thing about me that I've deliberately not told you."

"Oh," Maura said. "Well, you are entitled to keep things to yourself, Jane. There certainly is no law that states you must tell your best friend every single detail of your life," Maura stated, hoping that Jane understands she is not trying to guilt her into confiding anything in her but simply reassure her.

"But, the thing is, I wanna tell you this one thing," Jane said, keeping her body straight, not turning to face Maura because she desperately needed to keep some sort of barrier between herself and the doctor.

"If you really want to tell me, then I promise I will listen, Jane. But I don't want you to feel as though you have to tell me your secrets simply because of what happened in New Haven. I want you to tell me things because you want to, not because you feel guilty or anything."

"I like women, Maura," Jane stated, opting to just dive right in. "I mean, I've been with men in the past and all but…I like women. Like, I really, really like women. And I've never been with one but when I close my eyes and imagine who I wanna marry or have kids with or have sex with, it's a woman."

Maura found herself unable to speak, shocked more so at the direct nature of Jane's confession than the actual confession. She remained silent, unaware of the passage of time, until Jane spoke again.

"Your silence really isn't all that comforting, Maura," Jane says, fear clear in her voice.

"I'm sorry, Jane. I just-"

"No, I'm the one who's sorry. I shouldn't have dropped this on you while we were supposed to be enjoying a relaxing weekend. I'm gonna go take a walk," Jane said as she stood up and was glad that she had brought a pair of slip on shoes she could easily slide into.

"Please, Jane, don't run again," Maura said as she stood up from the couch.

"I'll be safe," she assured Maura as she quickly opened the door and slipped out into the hallway, similar to the night she'd left Maura in her apartment, cursing her mother for giving her hope that Maura would ever want to be with her.

Maura felt her stomach plummet as the door clicked shut, her stomach suddenly churning at the thought of drinking any wine. Her body was screaming at her to run after Jane and not let her get away but her mind knew that when Jane needed space, chasing after her would never work.

She finally sat back down on the couch and began to do what she felt comfortable doing. She hooked her phone up to the entertainment center to play soft arias from her favorite operas and began to plan out exactly what she would say to Jane when the detective returned, finding comfort in the planning of her speech.

It wasn't until two hours later when the sun had gone down that Maura was pulled from her planning by a knock at the door. Her heart skipped a beat as images of a police officer come to tell her Jane was injured flashed through her mind and she jumped to her feet and quickly moved to open the door.

"F-forgot my key," Jane stammered as she shivered.

"Jane, you're soaked," Maura said as she immediately went into doctor mode and ushered Jane into the hotel room, noticing not only that she was drenched but that she was shivering and her skin was pale.

"Y-yeah. The rain came down outta nowhere and then the hail started to come down when I was about three blocks away," Jane said as Maura sat her down on the toilet in the bathroom and turned the shower on.

"You need to get out of your wet clothes," Maura pointed out. "The longer you are in them means the higher chance you'll have of getting ill."

"Kay," Jane said as she waited for Maura to leave so she could undress. Maura had seen her in undergarments before but after her admission to the doctor earlier, Jane suddenly wanted to keep every barrier possible between she and Maura. "Uh, you c-can leave now."

"Jane, I am not leaving. I need to stay with you in case you collapse in the shower from either the low body temperature you no doubt have, the sudden change in your body temperature that can occur while in the warm shower, or from simple exhaustion. You may feel uncomfortable and scared but right now I am a doctor and you are my patient."

"Okay, b-but can you at least turn around or something while I get undressed?"

Maura turned herself around so her back was to Jane and shut her eyes for good measure, smiling as she heard the plop of wet clothing hitting the tiled bathroom floor before the frosted glass door to the shower opened and clicked shut.

"Y-you can t-turn around now," Jane said as she stepped under the warm water, her body still hunched over and arms wrapped around her midsection to maintain warmth.

"I am going to quickly put these wet clothes into a laundry bag and then grab you some sweats to change into when you are done showering," Maura said. "It should take less than a minute but I will leave the bathroom door open so you can call me should you begin to feel dizzy or ill."

"I'm fine, Maura," Jane said as she felt her body begin to warm up.

"I am staying in this bathroom while you shower for at least 20 minutes, Jane," Maura stated before quickly walking to the closet where plastic laundry bags were kept for wet swimsuits or, in this case, wet sweats. She then went to Jane's suitcase and was thankful that Jane brought more than one pair of sweatpants as she grabbed a pair of grey sweats and a Red Sox hoodie before returning to the bathroom.

"N-nice music," Jane said, her teeth still chattering slightly as she saw Maura's silhouette enter the bathroom.

"Thank you," Maura smiled. "It is a playlist of some of the best arias I've ever heard," she explained as she placed a towel on the toilet seat and sat down.

"What exactly is an aria?" Jane asked, desperately trying to keep their conversation on neutral ground.

"It is an operatic solo that is very melodious and airy," Maura answered. "They are usually sung by females and are quite beautiful and emotional pieces."

"Good to know," Jane said as she felt her teeth stop chattering and her back begin to straighten up rather than remain hunched over to keep her body heat contained.

"Warming up?" Maura asked, noticing that Jane hadn't stuttered when she made her comment.

"Yeah," Jane replied. "But I'll stay in here longer to be safe," she continued, causing Maura to smile softly.

Jane stayed in the shower for the next 20 minutes until she couldn't stand idle chit chat with Maura anymore. She just wanted to curl up and sleep so she shut the water off, signaling to Maura that she was done.

"I will step out so you can get dressed," Maura said before Jane could ask, slipping from the bathroom and shutting the door behind her.

Jane quickly got dressed and ran the towel through her hair a few times, emerging from the bathroom hoping that Maura wouldn't ambush her. She didn't.

"I am going to change and wash my face," Maura said softly as she smiled at Jane and replaced the detective in the bathroom.

Jane sighed as she padded out into the living area and pushed the coffee table to the opposite wall before unfolding the pull-out couch. She grabbed the spare blankets and pillow from the closet and threw them onto the makeshift bed before sitting on the edge of the pull out, running her hands through her hair.

"Jane?" Maura called out when she emerged from the bathroom and saw no sign of Jane on the bed. "Jane, what are you doing?" Maura asked as she walked into the living area and saw Jane on the pull out couch.

"I thought it'd be less awkward and more comfortable for you if I took the pull-out," Jane explained. "It's actually not as bad as you'd think," she said with a small smile.

"Jane, do you honestly believe that you liking women would bother me? That I would become uncomfortable around you simply because of who you love?"

"I dunno. I mean, maybe. I told you and you just sat there in silence."

"Because I was surprised at how candid you were," Maura said with a soft smile as she sat down next to Jane at the edge of the pull out sofa. "In all the years I've known you, I've learned that talking about your personal life isn't something you are very comfortable doing. But earlier you just dove right in to telling me about your personal life and it caught me off guard. My silence had nothing to do with your confession and everything to do with the candid way you delivered it."

"So me wanting to be with a woman doesn't make things awkward or uncomfortable between us?"

"Look at me, Jane," Maura said as she turned her body to face Jane and took Jane's hands in her own. "My last two years in college I had a girlfriend who was the first person I ever fell in love with and several of the dates I have been on since we have known each other have been with females. The only difference between you and I is that I have been with a woman intimately. So, no, Jane. You liking women does not bother me or make me uncomfortable because I also like women."

"Oh," Jane said, feeling a blush rise up in her cheeks from embarrassment of her past actions.

"Yes, 'oh'," Maura said with a soft chuckle. "When I close my eyes and allow myself to imagine who I want to marry or have a child with or have sex with, I also see a woman."

"Then why haven't you had any long term relationships with women since college?" Jane asked. "You could have anybody on the east coast but you just said you've only been on dates with women since I've known you. Why no relationships?"

"Alright, now its my time to tell you something that I've deliberately kept from you."

"Is this where you tell me that you really are a cyborg?" Jane asked with a soft smile.

"Jane," Maura said firmly, letting Jane know that her humor was not needed to defend herself.

"Sorry," Jane said softly.

"This is where I tell you that the reason I have never had a long term relationship with any women is because none of the women I've been on a date with have been you."

"What?" Jane breathed, her gaze never leaving Maura's.

"I have only had relationships with men because it is easier," Maura began. "If I were in a relationship with a woman, it would be so simple to compare her to you. Does she have your sense of humor? Does she listen to me as though I'm the most interesting human on the planet? Does she have your bone structure? If I am with a man, it is easier because comparing you to a man just isn't something I can do."

"What are you saying, Maura?" Jane asked, her voice calm though she felt a storm of emotions inside of her. "You're gonna need to spell it out to me like I am 5 years old or something."

"I love you, Jane," Maura said with a smile. "I love you as a friend and as something more. I want to be with you in every possible way. We could be so wonderful together. So happy. We could be soul mates."

"That's why I ran out after we got back from New Haven," Jane said, her voice cracking as a tear fell from her eye. "You told me you loved me and I so desperately wanted you to love me the way I love you and I just thought you were saying that as my best friend. It hurt and so I ran," Jane explained.

"Well I'm telling you now, Jane," Maura said as she lifted a hand to cup Jane's cheek and wipe the lone tear away with her thumb. "I love you as so much more than my best friend. So, so, so much more. And I don't want you to hurt any more or run from me. Because it hurts."

"I didn't mean to hurt you," Jane said as she leaned her head into Maura's gentle hand.

"I know," Maura smiled. "But I suppose that comes with being soul mates. You got hurt and ran and that in turn caused me to hurt. Your half of the soul was hurting and so was mine. Seems logical."

"Have you talked to my ma about this?" Jane laughed as she heard Maura talk about soul mates as if they were a scientific fact.

"Why would I have talked to Angela about this?" Maura asked with a laugh.

"The night I ran outta my place, I ended up at your place baking those cookies. Ma came in and we talked a bit. I went through a phase in grade school where I was obsessed with mythology and my ma once told me she'd love me no matter who my soul mate was. I asked her if she'd still love me if my soul mate was a woman," Jane said. "She said yeah and then told me to make sure I told you how I felt."

"How do you feel?"

"Ya know how I said that when I close my eyes and think about who I want to marry and have a kid with and have sex with, it's a woman?" Jane asked.

"Yes," Maura replied.

"It's not just any woman," Jane said softly. "It's you. You're it for me, Maura. And that both thrills me and terrifies me."

"Can I hug you?" Maura asked abruptly, knowing that although she and Jane usually were okay with physical touch, there were moments where Jane couldn't handle any physical affection.

"Yeah," Jane smiled, her arms immediately wrapping around Maura's waist when she felt the doctor wrap her arms around Jane's neck in a fierce embrace.

"You're it for me, too," Maura whispered in Jane's ear as they embraced, smiling as she felt Jane's arms tighten around her waist.

"What do we do now?" Jane asked once she and Maura pulled apart, keeping their hands intertwined.

"Well, I suppose one of us should ask the other on a formal date," Maura teased with a wink.

"A formal date, huh?" Jane repeated. "Do I need to get down on one need for it to be considered formal or somethin'?"

"If you wanted to, I think that would be formal enough," Maura said, laughing as Jane slid from the edge of the pull out and knelt in front of Maura.

"Will you, Maura Isles, go out on a real life, formal date with me?" Jane asked with a smile.

"I would love to," Maura smiled.

Though Jane was exhausted, she shot up and engulfed Maura in a hug, knocking them both backwards onto the pull out couch. Jane lifted her head up slightly to look down at Maura, their eyes locking. They stayed like that for several moments, just taking in each other's faced in such close proximity.

"Let's go out tomorrow," Jane stated as she rolled off Maura and onto her back, reaching out to pull Maura close to her side.

"Tomorrow?" Maura chuckled. "So soon."

"Well, I might have an ulterior motive," Jane teased.

"Oh, really? And what might that be?"

"Well, I try not to kiss people until we've gone on at least one date..." Jane admitted, her tone of voice telling Maura that she was in fact being honest.

"Why, Jane Rizzoli," Maura laughed. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to get into my pants!"

"What?!" Jane blurted out. "No!"

Maura tensed up as she heard Jane tell her that she didn't want to be intimate with her. Feeling Maura tense, Jane knew her words had been misconstrued.

"Okay, so, that didn't come out right," Jane said as she placed a kiss to Maura's head. "I would love to get into your pants, Maura. But when we do that, I want it to be real and special and because we're both ready. And although this hotel is super nice, I want it to be in Boston where we feel most at home."

"I had no idea you were such a romantic," Maura mused as she snuggled up closer to Jane's side.

"Only for my soul mate, Maura."

* * *

**A touch of angst and loads of flufffffff.**

**I was thinking of writing some more to this story. Nothing about the crime just their date in New York City and maybe a few other follow up chapters. Yes to that? Or leave it here?**


	6. Chapter 6

**So, I'm currently living with my parents since I just graduated college and am searching for a legit job. I got my diploma in the mail today and to celebrate my mom suggested I buy ingredients for key lime pie since I love to cook and bake. It made me giggle and think of this story.**

**Also, our lovely ladies go shopping in this chapter. I have found photos of the two dresses they purchase/wear on the date. For Maura's dress, Google "Lily Corset Detail Dress Diane Von Furstenburg." I imagine it with sleeves that are a little shorter than the ones in the photo. For Jane's, Google "Zarita Lace Dress Diane Von Furstenburg." I also imagine that one with sleeves a bit shorter—maybe that stop just above elbows.**

**On with the fluff!**

* * *

Jane awoke the next morning to soft lips pressing lightly to her neck. She peeked open one of her eyes and smiled as she took in her surroundings. She and Maura had moved to the large bed shortly after their conversation and snuggled deep beneath the covers. Jane was lying on her back with Maura curled up on her side, an arm draped over Jane's midsection as Jane draped an arm over Maura's shoulders. As her body began to wake, she felt Maura tracing patterns on her stomach.

"I could get used to waking up like this," Jane said, her voice rough and thick with sleep.

Maura quickly pulled her lips from Jane's neck and stilled her hand, surprised that Jane had woken up from her gentle ministrations.

"Why'd ya stop?" the brunette asked, turning her head slightly to look at Maura who's head was resting in the crook of her neck.

"I didn't mean to wake you," Maura said with a shy smile.

"Well, given the numerous other ways you could have woken me up, I'm pretty content with this way," Jane laughed as she kissed the top of Maura's head.

"Are you sure?" Maura asked, pulling herself impossibly closer to Jane. "I know you said you try to wait to kiss someone until after a first date."

"I'm positive," Jane smiled as she felt Maura press her entire body to hers. "And besides, _you're_ the one kissing _me,_ and it ain't on the lips. So, by all means, continue," Jane grinned.

With permission, Maura began to pepper Jane's neck and jaw line with gentle kisses, smiling against olive skin as she felt Jane's laughter reverberate underneath her lips.

"So where would you like to go on our formal first date?" Jane asked as she began to run her fingers through Maura's hair.

"What?" Maura asked with a grin. "You don't have it all planned out?"

"Okay, it's barely been over 12 hours since I asked you out!" Jane laughed. "You can't expect me to have a perfect first date planned in 12 hours, especially since we're in a city I'm not familiar with!"

"I know that," Maura chuckled. "But maybe you snuck out of bed last night and used my tablet to plan something without me knowing."

"And lose quality cuddle time? Hell no."

"You are a very good cuddler," Maura smiled as she placed another gentle kiss to Jane's neck.

"You're not too shabby, either," Jane replied. "But seriously. What would you like to do for our date? I have an idea but wanna know what you'd like."

"What's your idea?" Maura smiled as she allowed her hand to begin drawing patterns on Jane's stomach over her sweatshirt.

"Well, a nice dinner is a given," Jane said. "Somewhere that is unique to New York or something. And then maybe we could see a show on Broadway. I know that tickets are probably pretty picked over but the cab driver mentioned that kiosk in Times Square where you can wait in line for tickets. They have tickets for multiple shows so we could go and see what they have," Jane suggested.

"Do you really want to see a show on Broadway?" Maura asked, lifting her head up so she could look down at Jane.

"Yeah," Jane smiled as she saw the excited look in Maura's eyes. "And it looks like you wanna see one, too."

"Yes!" Maura said excitedly. "There are so many wonderful shows on Broadway right now. Several classics are making revivals, there are a few original shows, and many shows that have been going steadily for years. I would love to see a show with you, Jane."

"Well, then it's settled. We will be going to dinner and a show on Broadway tonight," Jane smiled.

"You're amazing," Maura replied as she looked down at Jane, her eyes filled with love.

"Uh oh…" Jane trailed off, her face falling.

"What?" Maura asked, suddenly concerned for Jane's health.

"I didn't expect us to go anywhere fancy so all I packed were jeans," Jane explained with mock sadness. "I'd hate to wear jeans to a Broadway show so it looks like I'm gonna have to go shopping for something fancy. Oh, darn."

Maura's smile grew impossibly larger as she realized what Jane was telling her.

"I love you," Maura laughed as she pressed her lips to Jane's cheek, lingering there for a few extra moments.

"I love you, too," Jane said.

"That's the first time you've said that," Maura said softly as she lifted her head to look back at Jane. "At least since last night."

"Really?" Jane asked, her eyebrows furrowing slightly as she though back to the previous night.

"You told me that I was it for you and that you think we're soul mates but you didn't say you love me," Maura pointed out.

"Well, I do," Jane grinned. "I love you and plan to learn how to say that in every language known to man just to keep you on your toes."

"Nakupenda," Maura smiled. "That's Swahili."

"Show off," Jane laughed.

* * *

After spending a bit more time cuddling and eating breakfast at the hotel, Maura and Jane found themselves walking down a crowded sidewalk in Times Square. Jane had worn a pair of dark jeans and a simple black sweater, her usual boots on her feet while Maura wore a simple white blouse tucked into a red pencil skirt and knee high leather boots to keep her legs protected from the October chill. She had pulled a black blazer over the blouse to further keep warm.

"Can I maybe hold your hand?" Jane asked when they reached a cross walk.

"Of course," Maura smiled, her heart fluttering as she felt Jane clasp her hand and lace their fingers together.

"Thanks," Jane said as they began walking again, nearing the ticket kiosk. "Do you have a preference for which show we see?" Jane asked as they stopped to look up at the electronic sign telling the patrons how many tickets were left for each show.

"There are so many wonderful shows," Maura said giddily as she took in the names of the shows. "You might like Avenue Q," she said as she leaned her head on Jane's shoulder. "It has puppets but the show is very crude and certainly not for children."

"I want this to be a show we'll both enjoy," Jane said as she squeezed Maura's hand. "Les Miserables?" Jane asked Maura. "French history for you and crime for me."

"That has potential," Maura smiled. "What about Wicked?" she asked excitedly. "It's been running for over 10 years and I read the book years ago."

"It's the one about the witch from Wizard of Oz, right?" Jane asked, already knowing that seeing Wicked was what Maura really wanted.

"Yes," Maura said as she turned to face Jane. "It tells her backstory. Her birth and college years, leading up to her becoming the Wicked Witch of the West. A large focus of the show is about her friendship with Glinda, the Good Witch of the North. Two women who are incredibly different forming an incredible friendship," she said as she made sure to keep Jane's gaze.

"Sounds like we've made a decision," Jane smiled as she kissed Maura's forehead and then moved to enter the line for their tickets.

"Jane," Maura said gently as they grew closer to the windows where they could purchase tickets.

"Yeah?"

"The Gershwin Theater is one of the largest and most ornate theatres," Maura said. "Which means that even the tickets in the upper balcony are going to be quite pricey. I know that you see yourself as the guy in this relationship but I want us to be equals. Perhaps I could get the tickets and you could treat us to dinner?"

"Maura…" Jane said softly, hating that she couldn't give Maura everything she deserved.

"You could also surprise me with a souvenir from the show," Maura smiled as she squeezed Jane's hand.

"Okay," Jane agreed as she returned the squeeze to Maura's hand.

"Thank you," Maura said as she kissed Jane's cheek.

"Je t'aime," Jane smirked.

"Now who's the show off?" Maura laughed as a teller waved them over and they began to discuss available tickets. Jane couldn't help but smile as she watched Maura's face light up as she talked animatedly with the man behind the glass about seeing her first show on Broadway. Jane must have zoned out while grinning at Maura because suddenly Maura's concerned eyes were looking into Jane's.

"What?" Jane asked, snapped from her Maura induced haze.

"You had a very faraway look in your eyes," Maura said as she began to walk with Jane away from the kiosk. "Are you feeling okay? It's possible you've fallen ill from your exposure to rain and hail last night."

"I'm totally fine," Jane smiled as she and Maura made their way to a fountain that, due to the late fall weather, was emptied of water and less crowded than other areas.

"Are you sure?" Maura asked, moving to stand in front of Jane so she could analyze her skin color for signs of illness.

"Positive," Jane smiled as she tugged on Maura's hand and pulled the doctor flush against her body, letting go of Maura's hand to wrap her arms around Maura's waist. "I just sometimes get caught off guard with how incredibly beautiful you are," she admitted.

"You really don't need to try and flatter me, Jane," Maura laughed as she wrapped her arms around Jane, reveling in the feeling of finally being with Jane in this way. "You already have all of me. Flattery is not necessary."

"I'm not trying to flatter you," Jane smiled. "I'm just telling ya the honest truth. You sure you wanna be seen with someone like me?" Jane asked, smirking as she raised an eyebrow.

"Absolutely positive," Maura smiled as she laid her head down on Jane's chest, her smile growing when she realized she could hear Jane's heartbeat. "If it weren't for you willingly going clothes shopping, I think I would be content to stand just like this for the rest of the trip. Listen to your heartbeat and enjoy elevated levels of serotonin."

"Well, we will have to go back to the hotel to change for our date so if we really wanted to, we could get lunch to go and get some cuddling in before we go to dinner," Jane replied.

"Keep thinking like that and soon your nickname will be Pointdexter," Maura teased as she pulled her ear away from Jane's chest and kissed a line of kisses up Jane's neck to her jawline.

"Nah," Jane sighed as she felt Maura's lips on her skin. "I'll let you keep Pointdexter. I know how fond you are of it," she teased. "And I also know how fond you are of shopping so lead the way to our first stop!"

Maura laughed as she left Jane's embrace and clasped her hand, eagerly leading her a few blocks away to a shop several stories high.

"There's more than one floor," Jane pointed out as Maura stood in front of Barney's New York.

"Of course," Maura replied. "Menswear has its own floor, as does the women's. Shoes, handbags, and other accessories are on another, and there also is a floor for the lingerie."

"Lingerie, huh?" Jane smirked.

"Maybe if you keep the complaining to a minimum, I will let you pick out a piece or two," Maura said with a wink as she opened the door and walked into the store.

"She's gonna kill me," Jane breathed as she followed Maura into the store and towards the escalators.

Maura linked her arm with Jane's when they reached the floor with women's clothing and leaned over to whisper in Jane's ear.

"I know that being in this environment can sometimes make you uncomfortable," she murmured as she walked them towards the less formal dresses. "If you find yourself wanting to leave at any time for any reason, just say the magic word and we move on."

"What's the magic word?" Jane said, thrilled that Maura was giving her the option of an out if she needed it. It helped calm her nerves as she noticed the pristinely dressed women perusing the racks.

"How about...Red Sox?" Maura smiled as they came to a stop in front of a rack of dresses.

"Red Sox it is," Jane smiled. "Now teach me the basics of Fashion 101."

After over an hour of fashion lessons from Maura, detailing types of fabrics and the history of several dyes, Jane began to feel antsy. She forced herself to not fidget, mentally reminding herself that the look of awe in Maura's eyes at the clothing was one of her favorites. Maura had selected a dress for herself to try on but hadn't asked Jane to try anything on, opting to let the detective tell her when she wanted to try a dress on.

"Excuse me, ma'am?" a worker said after quickly approaching the two women.

"Yes?" Maura asked with a smile as she saw a dress in the female worker's hands.

"I've noticed you and your friend perusing and couldn't help myself. This is a new dress we've just received and I think it would look absolutely stunning," she said as she displayed the floor length dress to the women.

"Oh, it is quite beautiful," Maura smiled. "But it would be far too long on me and I would hate to have it altered and lose the detailing on the hem."

"Oh, I was imaging that your friend would wear it," the worker smiled as she looked up at Jane. "I think the deep green hue would look wonderful with your skin tone and your height is just right for the length."

Jane's eyes took in the formal dress and immediately wanted to turn the worker down or explain she would prefer a less formal dress. But seeing the sparkle in both the worker's eye and in Maura's, Jane forced a smile onto her face.

"Show me where the fitting rooms are and I would love to try it on," Jane smiled, winking at Maura whose smile grew wider as they walked to the fitting rooms, separating only to step into different rooms. Maura quickly shed her clothing and pulled the soft yellow cocktail dress on, smiling as she examined herself in the mirror. She stepped out from behind the curtain to step in front of the 360 degree mirror and examine all angles of the dress. After a few moments of Jane not appearing, she walked to the curtain pulled to protect Jane.

"Jane?" Maura asked softly. "You okay in there?"

"Yeah," Jane said as she looked at herself in the mirror. The deep green dress did, in fact, fit her perfectly and just barely brushed the floor. The sleeves were down to her wrists and she appeared to have some semblance of curves while looking in the mirror. "I just don't think this dress is for me," she added.

"May I see it?"

"Sure," Jane agrees, turning her head to greet Maura as the doctor pulled the curtain open and stepped into the room with Jane. "It's floor length," Jane stated, knowing that Maura would be asking what about the dress wasn't comfortably. "Which feels super formal to me. I don't remember the last time I wore a floor length gown. I don't even think I'm gonna get married in one."

"I thought you were getting married in a Red Sox jersey?" Maura asked with a smile.

"Well, maybe I've thought about getting married in a dress," Jane shruged. "But don't tell anyone!" she added, lifting a finger to point warningly at Maura.

"My lips are sealed," Maura smiled, picturing what Jane would look like in a wedding dress.

"Plus the sleeves are long and I feel like I can't move," Jane added as she turned back to look at herself in the mirror.

"Agreed," Maura smiled. "You're far too covered up. I want to see more of you."

"Speaking of wanting to see more of you, you look pretty darn good in that dress," Jane smiled as Maura stepped next to her and Jane could catch her eye contact in the mirror's reflection.

"Thank you," Maura smiled. "It is the fall so purchasing a dress in such a summer color is not something I would do, but I am quite fond of the fit," she continued. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm alright," Jane replied, instantly causing Maura to arch and eyebrow at her. "Okay, so maybe I'm not totally alright but you seem so in your element here."

"We're equals, Jane, remember? Me being in my element is not more important than you being in your element," Maura said as she laced her fingers with Jane's.

"Red Sox," Jane whispered, pulling her gaze away from Maura's.

"Okay," Maura smiled. "I think I would like to get this dress, though. So how about we get back into our normal clothes, I pay for this, and then I can take you to a smaller shop where we both can be in our element?"

Jane nodded, smiling as Maura kissed her cheek before slipping back into her own dressing room. Jane took one last look at herself in the dress before peeling it off and getting back into her comfortable clothes, meeting Maura at the cash register to purchase the dress before leaving the store and entering the cool fall air.

"Thank you," Jane said as she wrapped her arm around Maura's shoulder and felt Maura wrap an arm around her waist.

"There is no need to thank me," Maura smiled as she guided them a few blocks away to a smaller, one story shop.

"Diane Von…Floofenberg," Jane read the name in the shop's window.

"Furstenburg," Maura laughed as they scanned the dresses on the mannequins in the window. "It's a smaller shop, although Diane is known around the world for her designs. It might be a bit more comfortable than the previous shop."

"Yeah." Jane said as her eyes fell on a dress in the window.

"You would look lovely in that dress," Maura grinned as she saw Jane's gaze latch onto particular mannequin.

"What? No," Jane said quickly as she turned to face Maura.

"Why not?" Maura asked. "Your eyes have locked onto that dress and you clearly think it's special. You should try it on."

"Nah," Jane said. "It's lacey and we know that Jane Rizzoli and lace don't mix."

"I personally think it would be a stunning combination," Maura admitted as she moved to enter the story. "The idea of seeing my tough detective in delicate lace."

"Maybe," Jane said as she followed Maura into the store, greeting the workers with a warm smile as she guided Jane throughout the store. "I think you should try on that one," Jane said as she watched Maura pull a black dress from a rack and examine it closely.

"I'm not sure," Maura admitted. "I don't think I would feel comfortable wearing it to work so it would be more of a special occasion dress."

"Why wouldn't you wear it to work? It's black, has small sleeve things, and isn't exposing too much leg," Jane pointed out.

"Look at the back," Maura said as she turned the dress so Jane could see the corset style back of the dress. "It has a corset style, although it is designed to be left open in a v design instead of being pulled totally together. Which means I would be exposing more skin than I would prefer."

"All the more reason to try it on," Jane said with a wink. "And besides, tonight is a special occasion so why not try on a special occasion dress?"

"There you go again trying to steal my Pointdexter nickname away from me," Maura teased as she checked the size of the dress before draping it over her forearm. "Do you see anything that you like? If you would prefer, we can head over to Burberry where they have a wide selection of elegant slacks and tops for you."

"I see some stuff, yeah," Jane replied.

"Like that dress from the window?" Maura asked with a smile.

"It was a really nice dress," Jane admitted. "I mean, dresses and I usually don't get along but it caught my eye for some reason. Maybe it was just the color or something."

"They have your size," Maura pointed out as she found the rack where the dress that caught Jane's eye hung. She pulled the deep plum dress from the rack and held it up for Jane to see.

"Maur, the tag says the dress is over $300," Jane said, her eyes widening at the cost.

"Think of it as an early Christmas present," Maura said with a smile.

"This was a bad idea," the detective murmured as she felt her gut fill with self-doubt.

"Why was this a bad idea?" Maura asked gently, grasping Jane's hand and walking with her to a small bench in a corner.

"Because," Jane said as she sat down next to Maura on the bench. "I see that dress and it just reminds me that there are so many things I can't give you. I'm taking you out on a date but you're the one who bought the tickets and is offering to buy me a new dress. I want to give you everything you deserve, Maura. And it sucks that I can't."

"Jane," Maura said as she laid the two dresses over the edge of the bench so she could grasp Jane's hands. "The point of being in a relationship is not for two people to provide things to the other that the other could do on their own. I don't need you to provide me with extravagant dates or lavish gifts because I can do that on my own. I need you to provide me with a sense of safety and a feeling of being loved unconditionally because I can't do that on my own."

"I just-"

"Have an ego?" Maura interrupted with a smile. "That is one of the things I love about you. Your pride and your swagger as you enter a room. So please believe me when I say that I am not trying to harm your pride by offering to treat you. I am trying to treat the love of my life. So please, Jane. Let me treat you."

"Okay," Jane said, knowing full well that she couldn't win this discussion.

"Really?" Maura asked, her eyes lighting up as Jane agreed to let her treat her.

"Yeah," Jane grinned. "But I'm totally getting you a souvenir at the show tonight!"

* * *

"What time are our dinner reservations?" Maura asked from her resting place atop Jane's body on their hotel bed. They had both purchased the dresses and a pair of comfortable heels for Jane and grabbed lunch from a food truck before returning to their room, kicking off shoes and jackets and untucking shirts before crawling onto the bed. Maura was lying nearly entirely on top of Jane, her ear resting over Jane's heart.

"5 o'clock," Jane smiled as she ran her hands up and down Maura's spine gently, enjoying the feeling of silk beneath her fingertips. "I figured that gives us plenty of time to eat, get to the theatre, wait in line for a souvenir, and find our seats."

"And you aren't going to tell me where we're having dinner?" Maura asked.

"Nope," Jane grinned. "I gotta keep some element of surprise since you know exactly what I'm wearing and where we're going after dinner."

"And I know what we'll be doing after the show, as well," Maura said.

"Oh, really?" Jane asked, a chuckle reverberating through her chest. "And what exactly are we doing after the show?"

"This," Maura smiled as she lifted her head and turned to look at Jane from her resting spot. "Just…this."

"Well, maybe a little more," Jane laughed as she allowed her hands to come to a stop at the small of Maura's back as she locked eyes with Maura's.

"And how much is 'a little more?'" Maura asked.

"Well, you did say that if I kept my complaining to a minimum I'd get to pick out some lingerie for you…" Jane smirked.

"All of the shops will be closed by the time the show is over," Maura laughed.

"Oh, I know," Jane said. "But maybe I could see the types of lingerie you typically wear to get a feel for when I do get to pick some out."

"Are you actually talking about sex without a pained expression on your face?" Maura asked with a smile. "Such a momentous occasion," she teased.

"Okay, no making fun of me or you're on your own for cuddles," Jane said with a pinch to Maura's side. "And I wasn't talking about sex. I was just talking about cuddling with a little less clothing than right now."

"You would never withhold cuddles," Maura stated. "And you're in luck because I packed my favorite bra for this trip," she added as she leaned her head back down over Jane's heart.

"You are going to be the death of me," Jane groaned. "And I'm pretty sure that I'm totally okay with that," she added.

"Me, too," Maura said as she closed her eyes and focused on Jane's heartbeat. They remained silent, each woman simply enjoying the knowledge that they were finally together. Maura had relaxed her body entirely but jolted slightly when she felt Jane's hand touching the skin at the small of her back directly.

"Sorry," Jane said softly when she felt Maura jolt.

"Don't be," Maura smiled.

"When we get back to Boston can we spend an entire day in bed?" Jane asked, only partially joking. "Or however long it takes to make up for all those years we could have been cuddling but weren't?"

"We would need…" Maura trailed off, thinking deeply for a few moments. "15.21 days to make up for lost cuddling time," she finished. "That is, if we simply said we've known each other for 4 years and decided that 15 minutes per day is the average amount of time spent cuddling."

"So, that's a yes to spending an entire day in bed?" Jane asked.

"Yes," Maura laughed. "Do you mind if I go shower?"

"Please, do," Jane said as she slid her hand away from Maura's back. "You smell absolutely disgusting and I can hardly stand being this close to you."

"Really?" Maura asked, lifting her head with a concerned look on her face. "I put perfume on today instead of lotion so the fragrance must have worn of faster than…You were kidding, weren't you?"

"Yeah," Jane chuckled. "But you should still go shower. Rumor has it that you've got a hot date tonight."

"Oh, I do," Maura winked as she pulled herself off of Jane and headed to the bathroom, excited butterflies in her stomach at the idea of going on a date with Jane. She emerged half an hour later in a fluffy robe, smiling as Jane took her place in the bathroom with the newly purchased dress in her hands. As she dried her hair, she couldn't stop smiling at the simplicity in which she and Jane fell into a routine. She had pulled her dress on and was finishing her make up when Jane emerged from the bathroom, her hair dried and dress already on.

"Woah," Jane breathed as she saw the v shape of skin exposed, causing Maura to turn around to face Jane. "Did you do some sorta voodoo magic while I was in the shower because I don't remember you looking this beautiful when you tried the dress on earlier."

"I didn't do any magic," Maura laughed as she approached Jane. "But you might have," she said as she ran her hands up Jane's arms to rest on her shoulders. "You look gorgeous, Jane."

"Thanks," the detective replied with a soft smile. "Are you almost ready to head out?"

"Almost," Maura smiled. "I just need to put my shoes on and double check my make up."

"Okay, well, I've gotta run down to the lobby for a hot sec—don't give me that look because I promise I will be back in, like, 3 minutes," Jane said.

"You're not running, right?" Maura asked softly.

"I'm done running," Jane whispered in Maura's ear as she kissed the doctor's cheek.

"Good," Maura smiled as she watched Jane slip into her black heels. "Can you put my wallet in your purse?" Jane asked as she realized she had nowhere to put her wallet.

"Of course," Maura replied. "Maybe if we're together long enough I'll get you to carry a purse."

"Okay, well, I do plan on us being together forever but even that isn't long enough for me to start carrying a purse," Jane laughed as she opened the hotel room door. "I'll be back soon!" she called over her shoulder as she headed towards the elevators.

Maura chuckled as she slipped her heels on and walked to place Jane's wallet in her purse before heading to the vanity and smoothing her dress, examining herself as she waited for Jane's return. She was snapped from her reflection when someone knocked on her door. Shaking her head, Maura grabbed her purse and opened the door to reveal a grinning Jane.

"Good evening, madam" Jane said with mock formality.

"Good evening," Maura said with a soft laugh.

"These are for you," Jane said as she pulled a bouquet of orange roses in a simple vase from behind her back. "They didn't have a full dozen so I hope half a dozen is okay," she added with a shy smile.

"Orange roses," Maura smiled as she took the roses from Jane and smelled them. "Typically signifying excitement, passion, and fascination. Thank you," she said as she set them down on the counter near the hotel door.

"They're also a cross between yellow roses and red roses," Jane explained as she held her arm out for Maura to take. "Yellow roses mean friendship and red roses mean passion and love," she continued as Maura took her arm and they began to walk towards the elevator.

"Like us," Maura smiled as the stepped into the elevator and began their descent.

"Yeah," Jane said as she relaxed her arm to hang at her side, lacing her and Maura's fingers together. "Plus orange roses are less common. More special."

"You are incredibly sweet," Maura grinned as the elevator doors opened to the lobby and Jane confidently walked through it, a drastic change from her self-conscious walk through from when they arrived.

"Keep it on the down low," Jane laughed as they exited the hotel.

"Oh, I should have grabbed my coat," Maura said as she turned to face Jane, the October air slightly chilly.

"I was thinking we could take a cab," Jane suggested. "But if you wanted to run back upstairs and grab your coat, that's cool."

"Or you could just keep me cozy," Maura said with a smirk.

"I like that plan better," Jane replied as she nodded at a bell hop who was opening the door to a cab. Maura slid in first, reaching to once again clasp Jane's hand once the detective slid in next to her. Jane leaned forward to give the address of the restaurant to the driver, relaxing next to Maura when the cab began to move.

"Taureau?" Maura asked, overhearing the name of the restaurant. "You've gotten us a reservation at Taureau?"

"Yeah," Jane smiled as she turned her head to smile at Maura. "Fondue seems like a formal enough dinner for a first date, right?"

"It sounds perfet," Maura said excitedly. "But…How? I would imagine they're terribly busy."

"I have my ways," Jane winked.

"You certainly do," Maura mused as she relaxed her head onto Jane's shoulder.

* * *

"Thank you for my souvenir," Maura grinned as she and Jane maneuvered into a cab after they exited the theatre after dinner and the performance of Wicked.

"You're welcome," Jane smiled. "They had earrings and other jewelry but I liked the snow globe. I like that Elphaba and Glinda are hugging and the song is…crap, what was that one called?"

"For Good?" Maura asked, pulling the box containing the snow globe from the bag and reading the side. "I saw you fighting back tears while they were singing it," she said with a smile.

"Oh, don't act like you didn't have tears in your eyes, either," Jane laughed as she wrapped an arm around Maura's shoulders and pulled her close. "You and I both know that both of us were thinking about how those characters are like us."

"Great minds think alike," Maura smiled. "You really have changed my life, Jane," Maura said, a lump forming in her throat as she tried to imagine where her life would be without Jane.

"I don't even wanna imagine where our lives would be if we hadn't met," Jane admitted as she rested her cheek on the crown of Maura's head.

"You have given me so much more than I could have ever dreamed of," Maura thought out loud. "Even as a child when I imagined my soul mate, I never imagined it would be someone as incredible as you."

"Same," Jane replied. "And I had a pretty wild imagination so that's sayin' something," she laughed.

They fell into a comfortable silence as the driver maneuvered them through traffic and to their hotel, nodding his thanks as Jane paid him and then helped Maura to her feet in front of the hotel.

"I think this was one of the best dates I've ever been on," Maura said as Jane kept an arm around her shoulder and Maura had an arm around Jane's waist.

"Really?" Jane asked, hitting the up arrow for the elevator.

"You know that I can't lie," Maura laughed.

"It was a pretty good date, huh?" Jane smiled. "The fondue was amazing and Wicked was insane. Like when Elphaba was flying and totally jamming out right before all the lights went out? That was totally goose bump worthy!" Jane said as they left the elevator and made their way to their room.

"I think it was the best date because of who it was with," Maura said as they stopped in front of their room. "We could have gone to a McDonald's and snuck into the play place and it would have been amazing."

"I'll keep that in mind for our next date," Jane laughed. "I guess this is when I'd kiss you goodnight and then head back to my place," Jane noted. "But, uh, this kinda is my place."

"So perhaps you could kiss me goodnight and then come in for a night cap?" Maura suggested.

Jane smiled as she threaded her fingers though the hair at the nape of Maura's neck, sighing at the silky texture.

"It's been a while since I've kissed anyone," Jane whispered just before leaning her head down and capturing Maura's lips with her own. Maura's arms around Jane's waist tightened and pulled the detective closer to her, her heart racing as she slid her tongue into Jane's mouth to tease the detective's. Their lips remained locked, tongues sliding against each other until Maura pulled away to fill her lungs with oxygen.

"So," Jane breathed as she opened her eyes to meet Maura's. "About that night cap…"

* * *

**So much fluff I might turn into a marshmallow.**

**I'm thinking of continuing with a bit of a T rated session with our favorite ladies and then maybe their return to Boston where they tell people that they are together. Will everyone take it well? Only I know…**

**I'd love to hear your thoughts!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Not too much of an author's note! Hope that you enjoy the fluffy happiness.**

* * *

Maura smiled as she placed a quick kiss to Jane's lips before reaching into her purse and pulling out the room card, sliding it in quickly and tugging Jane into their hotel room. As the door clicked shut, Maura wrapped her arms around Jane's neck and remained in the living area of their room.

"I'm afraid that the only offering I have for a night cap is beer," Maura teased as she nodded her head in the direction of the coffee table where five unopened beers and a half empty bottle sat from the previous night.

"I'm pretty sure beer is the last thing on my mind," Jane chuckled as she pressed her lips to Maura's, simultaneously moving her hands from where they rested on Maura's waist up to where her dress opened in the back to reveal soft skin.

"What is on your mind?" Maura breathed when their lips parted.

"Getting out of these heels, lingerie, the bed, you," Jane admitted. "And how incredibly hot it would be if you spun around and let me untie this corset thing," she added as she moved her lips to Maura's ear.

Hearing Jane whisper directly in her ear, Maura took a step back and spun around, pulling her hair over one of her shoulders to present her back to Jane, shimming her shoulders slightly as an invitation. Jane couldn't help but laugh as she reached out and slowly began to untie the corset back, willing her hands to stop their slight tremors.

"You're shaking," Maura said softly.

"No," Jane said perhaps a bit to excitedly as she finished loosening the ties, the fabric now loose on Maura's back.

"If you don't want to do this, we don't have to," Maura smiled as she turned to face Jane, her face sincere.

"I wanna," Jane said, her voice low. "But I'm just nervous that once the dress is off, neither one of us is gonna wanna stop. And I meant what I said about waiting to, ya know, go all the way. Wait for it to be special and stuff. But self-control is not my strong suit," she laughed.

"Well, then it's a good thing I have self-control enough for the both of us," Maura smiled as she stepped back into Jane's arms and kissed her deeply, soothing her nerves with her tongue. When she pulled away, she smiled at the flush on Jane's cheek and knew that her own cheeks and chest were most likely just as flushed.

"I wanna see you," Jane admitted in a soft voice.

Nodding, Maura once again took a step back from Jane and locked her eyes with Jane's as she pulled her arms from the sleeves of the dress and slowly pulled it down her body, stepping out of it and turning to lay it on the still opened pull out couch, meeting Jane's gaze as she turned back around.

"You can look, ya know," Maura smiled as she noticed the way Jane's gaze never left hers.

Given permission, Jane allowed her eyes to travel down Maura's body, wearing only a black lace bra, matching panties, and heels. The doctor's skin was nearly perfect, not marred by scars or anything other than freckles that Jane suddenly wanted to spend hours kissing individually. Her mouth went dry as she allowed her gaze to linger on breasts that rose and fell temptingly with each breath Maura took.

If she were standing in front of anyone else, Maura would have felt bashful at the way Jane's eyes were taking in her almost bare body. But this was Jane. The woman who knew her every quirk, every fear, and with whom she had been emotionally intimate with for years. The physical intimacy was a welcome addition.

"There's gotta be some mistake," Jane murmured under her breath.

"What?" Maura asked, suddenly afraid to hear what Jane was thinking.

"I didn't mean to say that out loud," Jane admitted as she brought her eyes back to Maura's. "But it's true. There's gotta be some sorta mistake because there is no way that you're mine. No way that you're mine to…to touch and kiss and love. The Universe must've made a mistake or somethin."

"Oh, Jane," Maura sighed in relief, thankful that Jane was not about to bolt. "I can assure you that there is no mistake."

"But, you're…You're perfect and fucking beautiful and soft and-"

"Yours," Maura interrupted, stepping forward to place a finger to Jane's lips. "I am yours, Jane. I am your best friend, your lover, your soul mate, your girlfriend. However you want to put it, I am yours."

"Everything," Jane said when Maura removed her finger from her lips. "You're my everything," she stated before reaching to grasp Maura's thighs and picking her up, smiling as Maura instantly wrapped her legs around Jane.

"I love you," Maura said as she felt Jane walk them towards the bed, both women smiling at the other widely.

"What? No foreign language this time?" Jane teased as she stopped walking when she reached the bed, making no move to let go of Maura.

"No," Maura smiled. "I've loved you for quite some time and as much as I love languages, I am going to stick with English for now. Make up for all the times I've wanted to say it but never did."

"You can make it up to me as we spend out 15.21 days cuddling in bed," Jane said before pressing her lips to Maura's gently. "Oh, and I love you, too."

"May I see you?" Maura sighed as she felt Jane's lips move down her throat.

"I'm not nearly as perfect as you are," Jane said softly as she moved her lips back to capture Maura's briefly. "But if you really wanna see me, then you know I'll let you."

"I really want to," Maura smiled as she loosened her legs from around Jane and felt Jane lower her back to stand on her heels. She slipped them from her feet quickly before tilting her head to look up at Jane. "Turn around and let me unzip you."

Jane did as she was instructed, pulling her hair to the side and giving Maura access to the gold zipper that ran the length of the dress. Maura wasted no time and unzipped the dress in one fluid motion, pulling it from Jane's body and taking a few quick steps to drape it over a large chair. She smiled when she turned to watch Jane kick her heels off and then stand still before Maura.

"You are so stunning," Maura breathed as she took in the simple satin black bra and white boy shorts Jane wore.

"Sorry I don't match like you do," Jane chuckled.

"Nothing to be sorry for," Maura grinned as she held out her hands, squeezing Jane's when the detective took her hands. "How does a little make out session on the bed before cuddling sound?"

* * *

"I really don't wanna go home," Jane admitted as she settled into the plane seat that would take her back to Boston.

"Neither do I," Maura agreed. "This weekend has been incredible and I would love nothing more than to just live in a New York bubble with you but I told Angela we would be home for Sunday dinner."

"Aw, man," Jane groaned as she closed her eyes. "I forgot about Sunday dinner. Now I really don't wanna go back."

"Family dinners aren't that bad," Maura laughed.

"I know," Jane said. "I just…I dunno if I wanna tell them about us just yet. Part of me wants to shout it from the roof tops and tell everybody I see that I'm dating Maura Isles but another part of me wants to just keep this between us for now. Just enjoy being us without Ma pestering us about marriage or babies. Ya know?"

"I understand," Maura smiled as she reached over the arm rest to clasp Jane's hand in her own.

"What do you wanna do?" Jane asked, turning her head to look at Maura.

"I like the idea of enjoying just being us for now," Maura admitted. "But realistically I'm not sure I can do that," she added with a soft smile. "I'm not sure I can sit through dinner without holding your hand or kissing you or otherwise touching you."

"You really like kissing me, huh?" Jane smirked as she puckered her lips dramatically, prompting Maura to kiss her, though their laughter soon separated their lips.

"I may find that kissing you causes my serotonin and dopamine levels to rise, yes," Maura mused when they separated. "Although I will need to do further testing to reach a conclusion to this hypothesis."

"I love it when you talk science to me," Jane winked.

"Well, that's a relief since talking science to people is how I've made it this far in life," Maura replied as the plane began to taxi down the runway.

"Let's tell people at dinner," Jane said confidently once the adrenaline from the plane's takeoff settled. "We'll just waltz into the dining room and I'll plant a nice, big, wet one on ya."

"Would you really plant a 'big, wet one' on me in front of your family? And Barry, Vince, and Sean who Angela has no doubt invited to dinner to welcome us home?" Maura asked.

"Good point," Jane shrugged. "But we should tell them tonight. Since everyone important will be there we can tell them all at once."

"What about your father?" Maura asked tentatively.

"Would sending him a card be tacky? 'Hey, Pop. Hope your new life in Florida is great! Frankie made detective, Tommy is doing well, and I'm in love with a woman. See ya at Christmas!'" Jane thought out loud.

"A bit tacky, yes," Maura admitted. "Maybe just a phone call? I could be there to support you as you tell him and then offer cuddles afterwards."

"Hey, keep the cuddle talk to a minimum. I've got a badass reputation to protect!" Jane laughed. "But I think a phone call would be more than fine to let pop know. He barely deserves that, though."

"I love you," was all Maura could say as she offered a comforting squeeze to Jane's hand.

"I love you more," Jane smiled. "Hey, do you have a piece of paper on you that I can use? Or your tablet?"

"I have my tablet, yes," Maura said. "But I'm not sure how strong or secure the wi-fi connection is on this flight since it's just over an hour long."

"Oh, I don't need an internet connection. I just wanted to write some stuff down," Jane explained as Maura reached for her purse beneath the seat and pulled her tablet out to hand to Jane.

Jane kissed Maura briefly as she took the tablet and, pulling her hand free from Maura's, opened a new document and began to type rapidly with both hands, pausing occasionally. Maura felt her heart flutter as she watched Jane focus on the task at hand, a peek of her tongue poking from her mouth as she intently thought about the words she was typing.

Maura forced herself to tear her gaze from Jane after a few more minutes and sighed contentedly as she relaxed deeper into her seat. She felt a warmth fill her core as she flashed back to their morning, waking up tangled together with only small barriers covering them. She smiled to herself as she remembered telling Jane she wasn't ticklish, only to find out that she was, indeed, ticklish as Jane attacked her in the middle of a leisurely kiss.

"Whatcha thinkin'?" Jane teased as she turned to watch Maura smile.

"The somatosensory and anterior cingulated cortexes and how they relate to the tickling sensation," Maura replied, her eyes still shut as visions of Jane's body flashed through her mind.

"There you go talking science again, makin' me all weak in the knees."

"It's a good think you're sitting, then," Maura pointed out as she opened her eyes to look in Jane's direction ."May I ask what you've been typing?"

"It's a list," Jane says as she looks back down to the tablet in her hands. "I hate that I can't give you everything you deserve like nice dates or gifts just because. So instead of having a pity party, I've made a list of everything I _can_ give you."

"Are you going to share the list with me?" Maura smiled, forcing the lump in her throat down as she realized once again how gentle and sweet Jane really was.

"Promise not to laugh?"

"I wouldn't dare," Maura promised, smiling as Jane handed her the tablet.

_Key lime pie whenever you want_

_Lots of cuddles_

_Kisses_

_Trips to the apple orchard_

_Baking lessons_

_A taste for beer_

_Someone to protect you_

_Love_

_Goofy nicknames that you secretly love_

_Respect_

_An appreciation for action movies_

_My ridiculous family_

_More cuddles_

_My heart_

"Jane," Maura said as she looked from the screen up to Jane, a nervous smile on the detective's face.

"Is that super cheesy? Like, gross moldy bleu cheese kinda cheesy?" Jane asked with a laugh.

"It's incredibly sweet," Maura said as she turned her tablet off and slipped it back into her purse. "I only wish we weren't on an airplane so I could show you just how sweet I think it is."

"Well, we could swing by my place before heading to Sunday dinner…" Jane trailed off, waggling her eyebrows animatedly.

* * *

"Jane, you really need to let me go," Maura laughed as Jane's arms tightened around her midsection from behind.

"But I thought you loved cuddling with me," Jane pouted as she tilted her head down to nuzzle into Maura's neck.

"You know that I do," Maura chuckled. "But we do need to get up and ready to go to my place for dinner. It's almost 4 o'clock, Jane."

"Yeah, and dinner ain't till 6 so we can stay right here until 5:30, or 5:45 if you let me drive," Jane argued as she let her hand roam up and down Maura's stomach from the underside of her bra to the waist of the charcoal grey slacks she wore. Jane had also removed her shirt but kept her jeans on, content just to feel any amount of Maura's skin on hers.

"I always help Angela prepare the meal," Maura explained. "Which means it would be terribly rude for me to arrive 15 minutes before we serve."

"Maura, we could arrive just in time for dessert and once we told Ma that we're together she'd forget all about our tardiness. You makin' an honest woman outta me or whatever is enough to send Ma's happy hormone levels to the freaking moon," Jane mumbled against Maura's neck.

"You have always been an honest woman, Jane," Maura replied. "But we seriously need to get up and ready. I need to make sure that I don't look as though I've been curled up in bed for the past hour. I would hate for your family to think that we chose cuddling alone versus time with them."

"That _is_ what I chose," Jane laughed. "But I guess you win," she sighed as she loosened her arms around Maura's middle.

"Thank you," Maura smiled as she slid from Jane's arms and the bed, stretching as she stood up.

"Okay, no doing that unless you want us to skip dinner entirely," Jane smirked as she watched Maura lift her arms over her head, forcing her chest out.

"Maybe that is what I want," Maura winked as she grabbed her makeup bag from the purse she'd left by Jane's bedroom door before heading into the bathroom with a smile.

Jane groaned as she pulled a pillow over her face and tried to calm her racing heart. With no other partner had her desire been so strong or her giddiness this overwhelming. She flung the pillow from her face and rolled from the bed, heading towards her dresser. She mutters to herself about needing to do laundry as she realized just how long it had been and how her choices for tops dwindled to a few.

"You should wear that emerald green sweater with the scoop neck," Maura suggested as she re-entered Jane's room with pristine make up. She pulled her lavender silk blouse back on, though she hadn't gotten to buttoning it yet.

"We won't clash?" Jane teased as she pulled the mentioned garment from her drawer and pulled it over her head.

"No," Maura said with a shake of her head. "But even if we did, I think one of the reasons we get along so well is because we have been known to clash a time or two."

"Think of all the hot make-up sex we could have had if only we'd opened our eyes and done this whole 'I love you' thing sooner," Jane said, putting a dreamy look on her face for drama.

"Jane!" Maura laughed.

"What?" Jane asked with a grin. "I told you I had a vivid imagination," she added with a shrug.

"What are you going to do when we actually do have sex?" Maura asked with an arched eyebrow. "You are going to need to wear a blindfold anytime I am near you."

"Hey, you'll need to wear one, too," Jane insisted. "I've seen the way you look at me. You want me just as bad as I want you."

"Badly," Maura corrected as she buttoned her blouse and tucked it into her slacks.

"Stupid Mr. Adverb," Jane whined as she walked over to Maura and kissed the doctor suddenly.

"What was that for?" Maura smiled when Jane pulled away to run her hands through her hair.

"No reason," Jane shrugged. "You ready to head out?"

"Would you like to spend the night tonight?" Maura said suddenly. Realizing her words, she continued. "I just thought it might be nice if you stayed at my place after family dinner. It seems that now that I know how it feels, I would like to spend as many nights as possible with you. You have a few things at my place but you could grab a few more items now. But you don't have to."

"As long as Jo can stay, too, then I'd love to spend the night," Jane smiled as she watched Maura fidget nervously.

"Jo is more than welcome to stay," Maura said, relief flooding her voice. "I think she and Bass have gotten quite close," she chuckled as Jane walked to her laundry basket and began to toss various articles of clothing into a backpack.

"It's been a while since I've done laundry," Jane explained with a sheepish smile. "But I promise to wash these when we get to your place!" she added as she zipped the backpack and slung it over her shoulder.

"You better," Maura laughed as she took Jane's hand in her own and began to walk towards the front door, both excited and nervous to reveal the change in their relationship status to their loved ones.

Maura insisted they formulate a plan as they drove to her home, reminding Jane that she would feel more comfortable if she had an idea as to how they would tell those closest to them that they were now so much more than best friends. Maura said they should do it once everyone was seated so they could let everyone know at the same time and Jane agreed. Jane let Maura know she could make the actual announcement, knowing that her family could get a little rowdy with such an announcement.

They both were calm as they clasped each other's hands the duration of the car ride, only separating when they made it to Maura's house.

"Ready?" Jane asked as they stood just outside Maura's door.

"Yes," Maura said confidently as she opened her front door, greeted immediately by the scents of Italian cooking and the shouts of the Rizzoli brothers and Frost as they watched a game on her large television. Korsak and Sean were watching the younger men, rolling their eyes as their antics.

"Janie!" Angela cried as she saw the two women walk into the house. "Oh, how was your trip? Did you take photos?"

"Hi, ma," Jane smiled as she let Angela hug her. "It was a great trip and Maura and I took a few photos on her phone," the detective answered. "But we'll talk more about that after I check out the game," she called over her shoulder as she jogged to the couch to sit with her brothers and partner, Jo Friday immediately hopping off Korsak's lap to jump onto Jane's.

"She is so much like her brothers," Angela laughed as she turned to face Maura. "You look lovely," she told Maura as she offered her a hug.

"Thank you," Maura smiled. "The weekend was just what I think Jane and I needed," she added as she followed Angela to the kitchen. "And although Jane is certainly very similar to her brothers, I might have a photo of her in a dress that proves she is also very different from them."

"A dress?!" Angela cried. "You got my Jane to wear a dress?"

"I did," Maura smirked. "She willingly went shopping with me on Saturday," she continued as she pulled an apron over her clothes and began to assist Angela in the kitchen, both women laughing and Maura told her broad details from the weekend.

As Maura assisted with cooking and setting the table, it almost felt like any other Sunday dinner. Except for the knowing looks that Maura and Jane shared whenever they caught eye contact with each other and the sparks that ran through the women if they touched in even the most innocent of ways.

When the meal was prepared and they sat next to each other, their hands sought each other under the table and neither woman could hold back their smiles. Jane had just cleared her throat to make her announcement when the doorbell rang throughout the house. Everyone exchanged confused looks but it was Jane who stood up first.

"I'll go check who it is," she said as she quickly walked to the door, eager to send whoever it was away so she could finally kiss Maura again. "Pop," Jane breathed when she saw her father standing in the doorway.

"Hi, Janie," Frank smiled as he took in his daughter's glow.

"Wha—what are you doing here?"

"I had a storage unit here that I forgot about when I moved to Florida," Frank said. "I got a call from the company and decided to come up here and empty the unit out. But it wouldn't be a trip to Boston without seeing my baby girl!"

"Uh, we're about to start Sunday dinner," Jane said, unable to think of any other appropriate response.

"Surely you got room for one more?"

"Lemme go ask Ma," Jane said as she turned on her heel and walked back to the dining room. "It's pop," she said as she looked at her mother. "I think he wants to stay for dinner."

"I promise I don't take up too much room," Frank said, having entered the house and walked to the dining room. "Please, Ange?"

"If the kids are okay with it, you can stay for dinner," Angela said as she looked at her children. Frankie nodded, Tommy shrugged, and Jane was already sitting back down and grasping Maura's hand beneath the table once again.

"Thanks," Frank smiled as he turned to the closet near the dining room and pulled out one of the folding chairs Maura kept there for extra guests, setting it up directly across the table from where Jane sat.

"Sticking to the plan?" Maura leaned over and whispered to Jane.

"Yeah," Jane whispered back as she nodded. "Uh, so, I guess it works about that Pop came today because there's something you guys should know," Jane addressed the group at the table, keeping her gaze away from her father. "Maura and I went to New York City this weekend as a little reward for kicking ass in New Haven. We had a heart to heart while there and…" Jane trailed off as she turned to look and Maura, smiling as she saw the look in Maura's eyes. "We're together," Jane announced proudly.

Angela felt tears well in her eyes as she watched her daughter look at Maura with such love, Sean and Vince offered congratulations, Frost and Frankie wolf whistled in jest, and Tommy asked if they were gonna kiss. The only person who remained silent was Frank as he watched Maura and Jane bring their clasped hands up to rest on the table.

"What do you mean you're together?" Frank asked, causing Jane to look up at him and meet his eyes.

"I mean we're together, Pop," Jane repeated. "I mean that I never wanna wake up without Maura and that she and I are gonna grow crazy old together and maybe have a kid along the way."

"Did you just propose to me?" Maura laughed softly as she squeezed Jane's hand.

"Maybe," Jane replied as she turned to face Maura and wink.

"So, what?" Frank asked. "I leave your ma and you suddenly turn gay?"

"What?" Jane asked, whipping her gaze away from Maura and back to her father. "This has nothing to do with you abandoning us," Jane said firmly. "And I dunno if I'm gay. I've liked being with men in the past but I just like being with Maura more. So maybe that makes me gay or maybe it makes me…Ya know what, why does that matter?"

"Because I thought your mother and I raised you better than that," Frank said, his voice rising in volume as he spoke.

"Frank!" Angela said. "Don't you dare try to-"

"No, Ma. Let him talk," Jane interrupted her mother.

"You did this to my daughter," Frank said as he pointed an accusing finger at Maura, causing the blonde to hunch her shoulders and drop her eyes to her lap.

"So what if she did?" Jane asked, fighting the urge to jump to her feet and stare her father down. "Because ya wanna know what else she did? She took in Ma when there was nowhere for her to go. Saved Frankie's life when he was shot at headquarters. Helped Tommy take care of TJ when Lydia left him here without warning. Kept me from eating my god damn gun after killing Hoyt. So if you wanna try to insult my Maura, you better watch yourself."

"This is the welcome I get?" Frank asked incredulously. "I come up to see my family and my daughter decides that she's a dyke?"

"You came up to clean out your damn storage unit, not see your family," Jane retorted.

"You're sick, Janie," Frank said as he stood up from the chair he had only recently pulled to the table. "I may be the one with the cancer but you…You're the one who's really sick."

"Okay, Pop," Frankie said as he watched the hurt flash across his sister's face. "You're gonna need to shut the hell up right now."

"You're okay with this?" Frank asked as he turned to his son.

"Of course!" Frankie replied. "Did you see the way they looked at each other when they told everyone? I don't think Jane's ever looked that happy, even when she made homicide!"

"I'm gettin' outta here," Frank said as he shook his head at his family.

"If you leave this house, you are never coming back," Angela said sternly as she rose to her feet to look directly at Frank. "I can handle you walking out on me and on our marriage but I will not tolerate you walking out on our incredible daughter."

Frank held Angela's gaze for a few moments before storming from the table, slamming the front door as he left.

There was a minute of awkward silence as the Rizzoli family members caught each other's gaze and those outside the family simply waited for someone else to say something first.

"I apologize for Frank," Angela said as she looked at the faces of her guests, her heart aching as she saw Maura holding Jane's left hand between her two hands as Jane fought back tears. She had only seen her daughter cry a handful of times in her adult life and hated it every time.

"You okay, Janie?" Frankie asked softly as he watched Maura attempt to soothe his sister.

"I'm not running," Jane said, her voice no more than a whisper as she spoke to only Maura. "I just…I need a bit of space. Is that okay?"

"Of course," Maura said just as softly, placing a hand on Jane's cheek before placing a soft kiss to the other cheek. "I love you," she murmured against Jane's ear before pulling away and letter Jane's hand go.

Jane wordlessly stood up and walked away from the table, keeping her eyes down as her feet carried her away from the pain that still hung thick in the dining room.

"She just needs a bit of space," Maura said softly as she turned to face everyone at the table. "As I'm sure you all know, Jane prefers to work through strong emotions on her own before letting others in," she explained as she reminded herself to sit up straight and square her shoulders.

"We don't blame you for this, Maura," Frankie said, making sure to look at Maura directly.

"Yeah, we don't think you turned Jane gay or nothin'," Tommy added. "I think the only thing you've done is make Jane a better person."

"Thank you," Maura said, suddenly feeling warmth fill her body at the smiles everyone was giving her. "Let's dig in," she smiled as she gestured to the food on the table. "And then I can tell you all about how I got Jane to go dress shopping in more than one store," she added, pride filling her already full heart as everyone let out a chuckle and the tension was lifted.

* * *

Maura startled slightly when she felt a hand slide onto her shoulder just over 20 minutes later.

"Hi," Maura smiled as she tilted her head up to see Jane with a soft smile on her face as she watched her family all laughing as they passed a phone around.

"Hey," Jane smiled as she squeezed Maura's shoulder, not distracting the doctor from the hoarseness of Jane's voice.

"Maura was just showing us the photos of you two from your date," Angela smiled as she looked down at Maura's phone and the photo an elderly couple had taken of Jane and Maura in front of the theatre before the show. The women had their arms wrapped around the other and were smiling widely.

"You showed them photos of me in a dress?" Jane said, trying to whine but failing as she sat down next to Maura. "See if you get any cuddles later," she muttered so only Maura could hear.

"You looked lovely," Maura smiled as she felt Jane clasp her hand. "However, I made sure to lock the photos so they can't send copies of any photo of you in a dress to themselves or anyone else."

"Good," Jane smiled as the phone was passed her way and she looked down at the photo of her and Maura. "We did look pretty damn good," she smiled as she handed it back to its own.

"Did you want some ravioli?" Tommy asked as he pointed to the serving dish where there was still some of her mother's home made ravioli.

"Yeah, thanks, Tommy," Jane smiled as she accepted the bowl Tommy was now offering her. "Thank you all," she added after she scooped some onto her plate and turned to look at everyone. "Really, it means more than you know to have you guys okay with me and Maura."

"Hey, I may be divorced three times over but I still believe in love and what you two have…It's love alright," Korsak smiled.

"Yeah, and you know that if anybody gives you crap I can call my two moms and ask them to put their softball swing to good use," Frost joked.

"I did not hear that last phrase," Cavanaugh said as he shook his head. "But you know that I've got your back, Rizzoli. You, too, Doctor Isles."

"Thanks, Lieutenant," Jane smiled. "I'm sorry for running off earlier. Just needed a bit of space."

"We understand," Angela smiled. "Can I make a toast?"

"Ma," Jane groaned.

"I think a toast is quite appropriate," Maura smiled.

"Thank you, Maura," Angela said with a grin. "I know that I'm not the best person in the world to talk about true love or soul mates," Angela said as she looked at her daughter and smiled. "I suppose life has made me a bit cynical. But when I see the way that my Jane and our Maura look at each other, that doubt that soul mates actually exist and that cynicism goes away because…Because they are the definition of love. To Jane and Maura," Angela said, her voice never wavering as she lifted her glass in a toast to the two women.

"Salute," Jane said as she followed suit of everyone around the table and raised her glass, a chorus of 'salutes' and 'To Jane and Maura,' ringing throughout the dining room.

"Okay," Jane smiled after everyone set their glasses back down. "I know this isn't really my character but I'm gonna kiss my girlfriend in about 10 seconds. So Frankie and Tommy, close your eyes. Frost, don't make any lewd gestures or Cav will smack you. Korsak, you make sure my Ma doesn't snap any photos," Jane ordered with a smile as she turned to Maura.

"Gonna plant a big, wet one on me?" Maura teased.

"I'll save that for when we're alone," Jane replied before pressing her lips to Maura's gently, flipping Frost the bird as he shouted 'Get it, partner!'

"Can we open our eyes?" Tommy asked after what he considered an appropriate amount of time.

"Yeah," Jane smiled as she pulled her lips from Maura's and wrapped an arm around the doctor's shoulders, beaming as Maura relaxed her head onto Jane's shoulder, the shooting pain of her father's words tamed to nothing more than a dull throb.

* * *

"Your mother has asked me to tell you that she would like your permission to have a copy of the photo taken of us in front of the Gershwin printed," Maura smiled as she entered her bedroom where Jane was already in pajamas and propped against the headboard.

"I was gonna withhold cuddles from you for showing them that photo," Jane thought out loud as she watched Maura pull her slacks and blouse off, folding them before setting them in the laundry basket. "But then I realized if I withhold cuddles from you, then I don't get cuddles either," she said with a soft laugh as Maura pulled on gold silk pajama pants and a simple black tank top. "And I really could use some right now," she muttered under her breath.

"I'm sorry about your father," Maura said as she slid onto the bed and sat cross legged next to Jane, their knees touching as she waited to see if Jane would want to talk about what happened with her father or simply forget.

"I hate that he made me cry," Jane said as she kept her eyes downcast. "That he making me cry," Jane said as she felt tears sting the corners of her eyes and willed them to stop. "Him leaving this time was different than before," Jane admitted. "When he left before, I could say it was because he was an idiot who fucked up."

"He is," Maura said softly. "He is an idiot for leaving such a wonderful daughter and amazing family."

"But when he left today…" Jane trailed off, lifting her hands to her head and pressing the heels of her hands to her eyes to stop the tears. "It was because of me. I don't agree with him that I'm sick and I know that he's just a bigot but, Maura," Jane said as she pulled her hands from her eyes and turned to face Maura. "He left because of me."

"Oh, Jane," Maura said as she saw the hurt in her love's eyes. "He left for many reasons and none of them are you."

"But-"

"No," Maura said as she turned her body to face Jane and grasp Jane's hands in her own. "Your father left because he is a bigot. Because in less than five minutes he saw more love between you and I than he has ever seen or will see. Because he knows how fierce your love is and is scared of a love that powerful. Your father left for those reasons. Not because you love a woman or because there is anything wrong with you."

"He's not coming back, Maura," Jane said softly. "I can't let him come back."

"You shouldn't have to let him come back," Maura said just as softly. "You should only surround yourself with people who accept you and are aware of the phenomenal, loyal, and amazing woman you are. The people at that dinner table tonight? Those are the people you should be surrounding yourself with. Not Frank."

"It hurts," Jane admitted, not knowing how to respond to Maura's statements.

Maura felt her heart race as Jane admitted her pain to her. In all the years she had known Jane, getting the detective to admit that anything was causing her physical pain was rare and emotional even more rare. Knowing that Jane trusted her enough to admit her pain made the doctor's heart soar.

"I am a doctor," Maura said with a soft smile. "If you tell me where it hurts, I'm sure I can find a way to help you feel better."

"My heart," Jane said, moving one of her hands up to her chest, as if her hand there could stop it from beating out of its chest.

"Actually," Maura smiled as she placed her hand over Jane's on the detective's chest and moved the hand a few inches. "Your heart is located more in this area," she said, not taking her hand from Jane's.

"I love you," Jane breathed as held Maura's gaze trying to convey to her everything she was feeling.

"I love you, too, Jane," Maura replied. "Let's get under the covers," she suggested. "I'll let you be the…what is the colloquialism? Tiny spoon?"

"Little spoon," Jane laughed as she tugged the covers out from under her and slid under them as Maura did the same. "Big spoon and little spoon are what you're thinking of."

"Yes! That," Maura beamed as she molded her body to Jane's and draped an arm around the detective's midsection, peppering her neck with kisses until sleep overtook them both.

* * *

**Shooooooot. Longest chapter yet, I think. I'd love to hear your thoughts! And your suggestions for what is in store for our lovely ladies! I have a few one shots planned but if ya'll have ideas for future things you'd like to see in this story, please let me know!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey, ya'll! I am so sorry that it's taken me a while to update Newlyweds! I got a bit distracted by writing my one-shots that can be found in the 'One Shot Wonders' fic. And planning a new multi-chap fic!**

**But I'm back and come bearing an update!**

* * *

Though they had told those closest to them at dinner, Jane and Maura had decided to keep the physical affection to a minimum while at work. Which meant that, after a lingering kiss in the elevator ride down to the morgue and a gentle squeeze of hands, the two women separated for what would no doubt be a difficult day after nearly three days of being together constantly.

Shortly before noon, Maura found a spare moment to text Jane.

_Hi. If you get a spare minute or two, you should come down to the morgue. _

Not expecting an immediate reply, Maura set her phone into a steel bowl near her latest body and quickly grabbed a pair of scrubs to change into before beginning the autopsy_. _

When her phone revealed no new messages after changing into the black scrubs, Maura took a few deep breaths to center herself before picking up her scalpel and falling easily into the routine of performing the autopsy.

It wasn't until the autopsy was completed and she was digging through medical records in her office a few hours later that Jane checked her phone and jogged down to the morgue. She was just about to call out to Maura when she caught a glimpse of her, brows furrowed in concentration behind glasses as she sat on her couch with files spread over the entirety of her coffee table. She had left her ponytail up though was once again in her deep crimson dress rather than scrubs. A Tupperware container sat in the far corner of the table with the remnants of a lunch Maura had packed in case they were too busy to go out.

"Hey, you," Jane said after a minute of leaning against Maura's door frame and watching the woman study intently.

"Jane, hi," Maura said, slightly startled as she looked towards Jane. "I'm sorry I didn't hear you come in."

"I didn't want you to," Jane smiled. "I saw you lookin' all concentrated and it was really kinda cute. I wanted to just look for a bit."

"Well, look all you want," Maura laughed as she pulled her glasses from her head and set them on the table.

"Did you have something for me?" Jane asked as she pushed away from the door frame to enter Maura's office.

"No, not yet," Maura said sadly. "His body was in fairly healthy condition so it's really just a waiting game for the toxicology reports," she explained.

"So, why'd you need me?"

"I didn't expect this to be so hard," Maura said softly as she looked up at Jane who was still standing.

"Didn't expect what to be so hard?" Jane asked, concern filling her voice as she quickly sat down next to Maura.

"Not being around you all the time," Maura clarified. "Since Friday we've been around each other almost constantly and I suppose I've grown quite fond of that. It's been hard not being able to just reach out to hold your hand or kiss you."

"Oh, Maura," Jane sighed as she reached out to grasp both of Maura's hands in hers.

"It's silly but I just feel like these past few days have been a mirage or an illusion and without you in my sight or being able to touch you, the illusion is going to vanish. It's like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop," Maura said softly.

"Does this feel like a mirage or an illusion?" Jane asked before kissing Maura gently.

"No," Maura smiled when Jane pulled away reluctantly.

"Good, cuz it isn't," Jane smiled. "I'm totally serious when I say that you're it for me, Maura. I wanna spend the rest of my life with you and the other shoe is never gonna drop. At least not when it comes to our relationship. I love you."

"I love you, too," Maura replied.

"Do you maybe want me to lock your office door so we can get a few minutes of snuggle time in before I gotta head back upstairs?" Jane smirked.

Maura simply nodded.

"I'm glad we're on the same page," Jane chuckled as she quickly rose to lock Maura's office door and draw the curtains closed to protect them from wandering eyes.

Pulling her blazer off and draping it over a chair, Jane laid down on the couch and scooted until her back was pressed against the back of the couch.

"Come 'ere," Jane beckoned as she held her arms open, wrapping them around Maura as the doctor gingerly laid down in front of Jane, their bodies flush against each other on the small couch.

"It's incredible how your mere presence has the ability to soothe me," Maura thought out loud as she traced an index finger up and down Jane's arm leisurely. "Make me feel safe and loved."

"Well, you are safe and loved so I really hope that's how I make you feel," Jane smiled as she squeezed Maura gently.

"Jane," Maura said softly as she closed her eyes.

"Yeah?"

"You do usually make me feel safe and loved but right now I am feeling quite queasy," Maura admitted as a wave of nausea passed over her.

"Shit, are you serious?" Jane asked, lifting her head up to look down at Maura, forcing herself into a sitting position when she saw the lack of color in the doctor's face. "Okay, stay on your side and I'm gonna grab your trash can," Jane instructed as she maneuvered out from behind Maura and darted to grab the small trash can near Maura's desk. Just as Jane set the can down near Maura's head, the doctor scooted closer to the edge of the couch and threw up the remainders of the lunch she'd had into the can.

"I'm sorry," Maura gasped when the wave of nausea subsided, though she kept her head near the can.

"Hey, why are you saying sorry?" Jane asked as she knelt down near Maura's stomach so she could hold her hands yet remain out of any vomit range.

"Because, oh, God," Maura attempted to explain before sickness overtook her and she once again expelled some of her stomach contents, though not nearly as much as her first unloading.

"Baby, I gotta ask if this could be from something dangerous you were exposed to during the autopsy you just did," Jane asked as she let go of one of Maura's hands to place her own hand on Maura's hip and rub her thumb up and down in an attempt to calm the doctor.

"That's the first time you've called me anything other than Maura," Maura pointed out as she looked at Jane with a soft smile on her face despite her discomfort.

"What?" Jane asked, not following Maura's train of thought.

"You just called me 'baby,'" Maura explained as she pulled her head away from the edge of the couch to rest fully on a small throw pillow.

"I did?" Jane asked, thinking back to what she had just said. "Huh, I guess I did," she said with a smile. "Kinda just came out. Did you not like it or something?"

"No, I like it," Maura smiled as she closed her eyes. "It just struck me as odd that the first time you used such a term of endearment was as I vomited."

"Well, I guess I endear you or whatever even when you're tossing your cookies," Jane smiled, her smile disappearing as Maura once again moved her head forward to heave, doing so twice in quick succession before nothing was left in her stomach.

"Sorry," Maura apologized again as she weakly squeezed Jane's hand that held hers and relaxed back onto the pillow.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Jane comforted as she brought her and Maura's intertwined fingers to her lips to kiss the back of Maura's hand. "But I still need to know if this could be from something dangerous from the autopsy. If you need to get to a hospital or we need to lock this place down."

"I don't need to go to a hospital," Maura insisted, furrowing her eyebrows. "And his autopsy was completely routine. There were no odd smells or mysterious substances found, so engaging in lock down isn't necessary."

"Then what's wrong?" Jane asked, concern filling her voice.

"It is most likely a virus of some sort," Maura explained softly. "Do you have your blazer?" she asked when she opened her eyes to look at Jane, still kneeling near her.

"Yeah, it's on the chair," Jane said as she offered Maura a gentle smile.

"May I use it for a few minutes?" Maura asked. "I'm feeling a bit chilly."

Nodding, Jane quickly moved to her feet and grabbed her blazer off the chair she had draped it over. She gently laid it over Maura's bare shoulders before returning to her position on her knees.

"We should get you home," Jane said softly as she noticed the way Maura had bent her knees to curl up on the couch.

"No, I'll be fine," Maura said as she pushed herself into a sitting position, fighting a wave of nausea as she rose. "It's most likely something I contracted from the plane and being in cramped quarters with strangers."

"Woah, there," Jane said as she quickly moved to sit next to Maura on the couch and cradle Maura's head to her shoulder. "You just barfed up quite a bit, told me that you're cold which is weird since your house is always freezing and you work in a morgue, and your skin is paler than usual. Home is the best place for you to be right now, Maura."

"But we've just taken the weekend off," Maura protested weakly.

"That's true," Jane said as she placed a soft kiss to Maura's temple. "But think of it this way. You take today and tomorrow off to recover or you just get worse and then have to take more time off down the road."

"Pointdexter," Maura murmured as she relaxed deeper against Jane's side. "I'll call a cab to come get me as soon as I can open my eyes."

"A cab? Maura, you know I'll drive you home," Jane said.

"Jane, you've got a murderer to catch. I can't take you away from your duties as a detective," Maura reasoned with Jane, though she felt exhausted and would prefer a ride from Jane.

"Well, it's a good thing that our dead guy's ex-wife lives in an uppity mansion right at the edge of Beacon Hill," Jane explained. "If you don't mind Frost tagging along or riding in my squad car, I can drop you off on my way to talk to her."

Maura simply nodded her head gently.

"Alright, I'll call Frost and let him to know to grab the file from my desk and then pull the car up to the loading dock so you don't have to walk far," Jane explained as she pulled her phone from its holster and quickly dialed her partner.

* * *

When Jane managed to escape work at around 8 that evening, she made a quick stop at the grocery store for some essentials before going right to Maura's.

"Maura?" Jane called as she entered Maura's home and quickly removed her shoes and set her badge and gun in the lockbox at the table near the door.

The only response she heard was the sound of a toilet flushing from the direction of Maura's bedroom.

"Shit," Jane muttered as she jogged up the stairs and made her way into Maura's bedroom, quickly crossing into the en suite bathroom where Maura sat hunched in front of the toilet. "Hey," she said gently as she quickly kneeled next to Maura and placed a hand on the doctor's back, noticing the slight dampness of the silk pajama top.

"Hi," Maura murmured as she slumped against Jane's side. "I thought I would be able to keep a few saltine crackers down," she explained as she felt Jane's hand begin to rub soft circles on her back. "And before you ask, I have called my physician," she added.

"And?" Jane asked, saying a quick prayer that Maura was safe.

"It's a type of virus," Maura explained. "It's not quite as severe as influenza but can mimic the symptoms. She said that most people see a reduction in symptoms in a day or two but that you should stay away. Keep yourself healthy."

"Nope," Jane said as she shook her head. "I'm not gonna stay away. I mean, have you met me? A virus would be an idiot to try and attack the Jane Rizzoli immune system."

"If you do get sick, I'll take care of you," Maura said.

"Well, for now how about I take care of you?" Jane smiled. "I got some stuff that always made me feel better as a kid. Nothin' better than a bit of Rizzoli TLC."

"What sort of stuff?" Maura asked.

"The usual home remedy stuff. Gatorade to keep you hydrated, ginger ale for your stomach, chicken noodle soup because who doesn't love slurping noodles, and a super amazing chocolate bar that Ma always bought but never let us have until we were better. Incentive to get over any ailment," Jane smiled.

"Sounds lovely," Maura said with a soft chuckle.

"Let's draw you a bath," Jane suggested as she kissed the side of Maura's head gently. "I'll even hop in with you if you'd like."

"Mmkay," Maura said as she scooted to rest her back against the cupboard under her sink, trusting Jane to fill the tub while she relaxed.

When she next opened her eyes, she was greeted with Jane's face smiling at her.

"You okay to get into the tub?" Jane asked as she tucked an errant curl behind Maura's ear. "Or would you rather just curl up in bed?"

"I'm okay for a bath," Maura smiled as she held her hands out and allowed Jane to help her stand on tired feet. She quickly shed her sweat dampened pajamas but froze as she stood before Jane in her undergarments, eyes wide.

"What's wrong, Maur?" Jane asked, noticing the mixture of frustration and realization in Maura's eyes.

"I want you to join me in the bath," Maura said as she looked into Jane's eyes. "But…We've never seen each other without any sort of clothing before."

"I'm not gonna come on to you when you're sick," Jane smiled.

"I know you wouldn't," Maura chuckled. "I just…When I imagined our first time seeing each other naked, I didn't smell like sweat and vomit. It's rather embarrassing," Maura admitted as she averted her eyes to look at the floor.

"Hey," Jane said as she reached out to rest her hands on Maura's hips. "You still look ten times more gorgeous than any other woman I've ever met," Jane complimented. "But if you want, we can stay in our underwear."

"You're sure?" Maura asked.

"Of course," Jane smiled as she kissed Maura's forehead. "I told ya, I can be a mushy gushy romantic when I wanna be."

"I know," Maura smiled. "I'm going to get into the tub. You'll come in behind me?"

"Of course," Jane nodded as she let go of Maura's hips so the doctor could slip into the steaming water.

Jane quickly pulled her slacks and t-shirt off, grabbing the large water glass from beside the sink before entering the back of the tub and pulling Maura in between her open legs.

"Can I take your hair out of the pony tail?" Jane whispered as she nuzzled Maura's neck.

"Please," Maura smiled.

Jane gently pulled the elastic from Maura's hair and ran her hands through the golden locks a few times before picking up the glass, filling it with water, and then tilting Maura's head backwards to pour the water over her hair.

"Thank you," Maura sighed as she felt Jane pour another glassful of water onto her hair.

"No problem," Jane smiled as she continued to pour water onto Maura's hair to wet every strand. "I know that you had to grow up really fast and that you insist you can take care of yourself, but I get the feeling that sometimes you just really want someone to take care of you like they never did all those years ago."

"You are correct," Maura confirmed. "And I get the feeling that you get that feeling because it's a feeling you're familiar with," she mused. "You also had to grow up quickly and were always caring for others instead of being cared for."

"We are quite a pair," Jane laughed as she moved Maura's wet hair over a freckled shoulder and reached to grab a loofah, pouring body wash on it before running it over Maura's back, the band of Maura's bra her only interruption. "It's really quite amazing how oblivious we've been these past few years."

"Well, I don't know if oblivious is the best word," Maura replied. "We both were very aware of our feelings for the other. I think we were both just too nervous to speak those feelings for fear of losing the friendship we cherished."

"So, we're both chicken shit?" Jane laughed as she ran the loofah up over Maura's shoulder and then down her arm.

"In your words, yes," Maura chuckled.

"Well, I'm glad we gathered some courage," Jane offered.

"Me, too," Maura smiled as Jane ran the loofah over her other arm.

"Want me to wash your hair?" Jane asked as she hung the loofah up on the dial and already reached towards the hair products, pumping shampoo into her palm.

Trusting Jane entirely, Maura closed her eyes and allowed the detective to massage shampoo into her hair before once again using the glass to scoop water over her hair and rid it of suds. She sighed contentedly as Jane began to work conditioner through her hair, noticing that her stomach stopped churning and her tense muscles relaxed with every passing moment in the tub with Jane.

It wasn't until Jane was pouring water to rinse conditioner out of Maura's hair that the silence of the bathroom was broken by a tell-tale sniffle.

"Maura?" Jane asked, instantly setting the glass down on the side of the tub and wrapping her arms around Maura's waist. "Maura, baby, why are you crying?" she asked as she craned her neck to see tears on Maura's cheek.

"I'm sorry," Maura murmured as she wiped at her cheeks with the backs of her hands.

"Don't ever apologize for your feelings," Jane instructed. "Please, though. Tell me what's wrong."

"I always hated being sick as a child," Maura explained through the lump in her throat. "I had to miss school and my parents always made me feel as though I was a burden for being ill. Though no one may have said as much, I always received the vibe that I was not worthy of being taken care of. And now that I have someone willing to help care for me...It's all quite overwhelming," Maura explained as she felt a sob escape her.

"Oh, Maura," Jane sighed as she pulled Maura as close to her as possible. "You are so, so, so worthy of being cared for and being loved and spoiled and ravished and cherished," Jane said as she pressed kisses to Maura's shoulder. "I'm not gonna pop the question anytime soon but I promise that I'm gonna spend the rest of my life taking care of you."

"And let me take care of you?" Maura asked as she wiped tears from her face again.

"Of course," Jane smiled.

"Maybe I'll pop the question first," Maura teased through her sniffles.

"You wouldn't dare," Jane gasped as she pinched Maura's side gently, earning a giggle from the doctor.

"I might," Maura laughed as she squirmed away from Jane's tickles.

"I'd be okay if you did," Jane thought out loud as she once again wrapped her arms around Maura and held her close, relaxing her own body against the back of the tub.

"I love you," Maura smiled as she relaxed against Jane.

"I love you more," Jane grinned. "I win," she added before kissing the area behind Maura's earlobe.

"Actually, I love you the most so I win."

* * *

"How are you feeling this morning?" Jane whispered, her voice still thick with sleep as she felt Maura stir against her.

"My stomach still feels uneasy and I'm quite cold, but it could be worse," Maura replied as she snuggled closer to Jane's warmth.

"How about I make you a breakfast of ginger ale and toast before I head out to work?" Jane offered as she ran a hand through Maura's hair.

"I would like that," Maura smiled as she kissed Jane's cheek gently.

"I figured," Jane laughed. "You want breakfast in bed or you feelin' up to venturing downstairs?"

"I can make it to my kitchen," Maura chuckled as she rolled onto her back before sitting up and running her hands through her hair.

"You look really good in my clothes," Jane pointed out as she looked at Maura wearing a pair of her sweatpants and a Red Sox hoodie that was far too large.

"They're much warmer than my pajamas," Maura said sheepishly. "Thank you for letting me wear them."

"Anything for you," Jane smiled as she rolled from the bed and walked into the en-suite bathroom to brush her teeth before heading down to the kitchen to make Maura her breakfast.

Shortly after brushing her own teeth, Maura padded into the kitchen and slid onto a barstool at her kitchen island.

"Breakfast is served," Jane smiled as she slid a plate of raisin toast and mug of ginger ale towards Maura. "Although I do hope your stomach doesn't reject my culinary skills, I promise I won't be offended if you do scurry off and toss your cookies."

"Thank you," Maura smiled as she took a small sip of the soda. "Speaking of culinary skills…" she smiled as she watched Jane spread cream cheese onto a bagel.

"Yes?" Jane asked.

"You never finished teaching me how to make key lime pie," Maura said softly. "Maybe when I'm not ill you could finish your lesson?"

"You got yourself a deal," Jane said through a mouthful of bagel.

"Oh! And before we went to New York you mentioned making a cookie with white chocolate chips and strawberries," Maura smiled as she nibbled some toast.

"Ah, yes. The cookie inspired by a tortoise," Jane laughed.

"You called him a tortoise," Maura pointed out as she smiled at Jane.

"Well, isn't that what he is?" Jane asked as she finished half of her bagel.

"Yes, but usually you refer to Bass as a turtle and I'm forced to correct you," Maura teased. "It's nice to know that you've finally trained yourself to refer to him as the appropriate species."

"Can you keep a secret?" Jane whispered conspiratorially as she walked around the island to stand next to Maura.

"Of course," Maura stated simply.

"I've always called Bass a turtle because you look really cute when you're flustered and correcting me," Jane smirked as she pressed a soft kiss to Maura's cheek.

"You are ridiculous," Maura laughed as she took another bite of toast.

"But you love me, right?" Jane teased.

"Mmm, possibly," Maura said as she attempting to look pensive.

"Hives, Maura," Jane laughed as she yanked the large hood to the sweatshirt up and over Maura's head, causing the doctor to laugh.

"Go get ready for work," Maura chided, making no move to pull the hood off her head.

Jane jogged up the stairs, thankful she had a few spare outfits at Maura's that she could wear.

Maura continued to sit at the counter, slowly eating her toast and sipping soda, careful not to disrupt her stomach.

"Oh, hi, Janie!" Angela greeted as she walked into the main house and saw the familiar Red Sox hoodie.

"I'm not Jane," Maura smiled as she turned around to greet Angela, pulling the hood down in the process.

"Oh," Angela laughed as she looked at the doctor wearing clothes too long and baggy for her. "I saw Jane's sweatshirt and thought it must be her. Get dressed in a hurry this morning?" she asked with a wink.

"It's nothing like that," Maura chuckled as she watched Angela pour a glass of orange juice. "I've come down with a mild virus that mimics flu symptoms and, since I was shivering last night, Jane let me wear her warmer pajamas."

"You're sick?" Angela asked. "When the kids were little, I would buy them Gatorade, ginger ale, chicken noodle soup, and a chocolate bar to help them get better," she smiled. "Would you like me to run to the store for you?"

"Thank you for the offer, but no need to go to the store," Maura replied. "Jane brought all of those things over after she left work last night," she explained. "I'm actually enjoying some ginger ale now and looking forward to eating the chocolate once I'm back to a clean bill of health."

"I'm glad Jane hasn't rejected the idea of being a teeny bit like me," Angela laughed.

"She does love you, Angela," Maura smiled.

"Oh, I know," Angela stated. "I've known her long enough to figure her out. She thinks I don't but I do."

"Well, I might have to have you share some of your knowledge with me," Maura chuckled as she bit into her second piece of toast, grateful that her stomach was cooperating.

"Maura," Angela said as she slid onto a stool next to Maura. "I really am sorry for how Frank acted on Sunday. None of what he said is true. You and Jane aren't sick and you have been nothing but a blessing to this family."

"Thank you for the apology," Maura smiled. "It certainly hurt to hear Frank say those things and brought up unpleasant feelings but I am very aware that the things he said came from a place of bigotry and hatred. Jane was in quite a bit of pain and I still sense that she is struggling with how Frank treated her."

"Well, I trust you to care for our Jane and support her as she struggles, but don't forget to take care of yourself, too," Angela commanded as she reached out to squeeze Maura's hand. "If you ever need to talk about Frank or anything at all, you just let us know and we'll provide the ice cream to wallow in."

"Thank you," Maura laughed.

"Actually, Maura prefers some sort of gelato stuff with crap mixed in," Jane pointed out as she made her presence known, pressing a soft kiss to Maura's head as she passed her to get another cup of coffee.

"It is not 'gelato stuff with crap mixed in,'" Maura stated. "It's vegan gelato with bits of pretzels mixed in," she corrected.

"Well, we'll just have to get some Ben &amp; Jerry's for Jane and I if ever the need arises," Angela laughed as she stood up. "I hope you feel better, Maura," she said. "And you," she said as she turned to face Jane, "I hope you come visit me at the café for lunch."

"I will, Ma," Jane smiled before her mother retreated back to the guest house. "You finished your toast!" Jane said as she noticed the empty plate in front of Maura.

"I did," the doctor said softly. "And my stomach is relatively calm so hopefully if I stay sitting for a bit longer, I will be able to keep it down."

"Here's to hoping," Jane said as she lifted her coffee mug in a mock toast.

"So, how much of our conversation did you hear?" Maura asked with a knowing smile.

"Enough to know that what my idiot father said at dinner hurt you and that I'm an idiot for not asking if you were okay after it happened," Jane said as she looked down into her coffee mug.

"Jane, you are not an idiot," Maura replied. "You were in pain and my first priority was you. Even if you had asked if I was okay, we both know I would have bent the truth to ensure that you were feeling okay and knew how supported and loved you are."

"You and your damn truth bending," Jane chuckled. "But, really, Maura, I should have at least asked if you were okay. So I'm gonna ask now. Are you okay?"

"I am okay now, yes," Maura answered.

"But you weren't okay before?"

"What your father said really did bring up unpleasant feelings," Maura stated. "As a child and young adult, I was always an outsider even to my own family. And then your family accepted me and I finally knew what it felt like to truly be in a family. But on Sunday when your father said what he said, I was once again an outsider in my own family. And I felt very hurt."

"You are the farthest thing from an outsider to us Rizzolis," Jane stated as she walked to Maura and wrapped her arms around the doctor's neck, smiling as Maura nuzzled against her. "You are more of an insider to this family than my pop and I'm never ever gonna let anyone make you feel like an outsider ever again."

"I love you," Maura said, though her voice was muffled from being pressed against Jane's chest.

"I love you, too," Jane smiled as she kissed the crown of Maura's head. "But I gotta head out. Catch bad guys and try not to kill Pike."

"I called another medical examiner to come and cover for me today," Maura laughed as she watched Jane throw back the last of her coffee. "So hopefully you won't kill anyone today."

"No promises," Jane shrugged as she pecked Maura on the lips before heading out the front door, smiles on both women's faces.

* * *

**Not as long as other chapters, but I'm off to a wedding and wanted to get this posted for ya'll! When I started this story, I had no idea it would become a bit vat of fluffy goodness. But I'm kinda liking it!**

**As always, your suggestions for future fluff are welcome!**


	9. Chapter 9

**So, I know it has been quite some time since I last updated and I am so sorry! I started a new multi-chap fic called Letters to Maura and that combined with a hell of downward spiral my mental health has been on has made this fic hard to work with.**

**Please forgive me for the long delay and please enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

Maura stood in her kitchen still clad in Jane's sweats as she stirred a soup pot with the Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup that Jane had bought her to soothe her stomach. She hummed an absent minded tune as she did so, a smile on her lips despite the exhaustion tugging at her recovering body. Just as she went to pull the pot from the stove, her phone vibrated and Jane's name appeared on her screen.

_How's my favorite puking doctor feeling today? :-)_

Laughing, Maura turned the stove off and quickly typed a reply.

_She hasn't puked at all today, although she still feels quite exhausted and chilly. The soup she is about to pour into a bowl and your sweats are keeping her warm, though._

_Send me a photo so I know you're eating._

Maura shook her head at Jane's demand but, after pouring a few ladles into a bowl, she positioned her glass of ginger ale near the bowl and took a photo of her lunch, sending it to Jane to prove she was eating. She sat down at her kitchen island, smiling at Jane's antics.

Less than a minute later, Jane's ringtone began to play and Maura laughed as she set her mug of ginger ale down and answered the phone.

"Hello, Jane," she laughed.

"Okay, you were totally supposed to send me a selfie of you slurping a noodle or something," Jane smiled as she walked towards the café for her own lunch.

"Why would I do that?" Maura asked.

"So I can see your face, of course," Jane stated.

"It looks the same as it did when you left for work a few hours ago," Maura noted as she brought a spoonful of soup to her mouth, thankful that her stomach was settling.

"Well, I still wanted to see it," Jane pouted.

"Sorry to disappoint," Maura shrugged. "How are things at headquarters? You have time to call so are things going well?"

"Yeah, things are okay. Frost and I are heading out in a bit to talk to someone but I wanted to check on you and grab something from the café for lunch," Jane replied.

"Do you think you'll be home late?" Maura asked.

"I dunno. I mean, I think I'll be outta here at a decent time but we both know shit can come up without any notice," Jane sighed. "Why?"

"I'm not sure I should make dinner just in case there's anything contagious I could pass on to you but if you're going to be home at a decent time, I could order pizza to be delivered for us," Maura suggested as she continued to sip her soup. "Maybe start catching up on the 15.21 days of cuddling we've missed out on."

"First of all, I love that you say if I'm going to be home," Jane smiled as she kissed her mother's cheek as Angela brought her a coffee without Jane even ordering one. "Like your house is our home. I love that," Jane explained. "Second, if you're offering pizza, then you bet I'll be home at a decent house. And I will not comment on the 15.21 days because someone might hear and I gotta keep up my street cred."

"Well, maybe in time my house will be our home," Maura said softly. "Or another house will be our home. A home we can cuddle in as much as my secret cuddler wants."

"Just tell me when and I'll start packing my stuff," Jane laughed, earning an excited squeal from Angela.

"Tell your mother I say hello," Maura teased as she heard Angela's squeal.

"I will do no such thing," Jane stated. "It'll only encourage her and she needs absolutely no encouragement."

"I'm surprised we haven't found any wedding magazines lying around or pamphlets on fertilization treatments lying around yet," Maura laughed.

"Just give it some time and I'm sure it'll happen," Jane said. "Okay, I'm gonna scarf down some lunch and then go do my job. I'll text you when I'm leaving so you can order the pizza?"

"Sounds like a plan to me," Maura replied. "Be safe, my love."

"I will," Jane promised, quickly ending the call so she could eat the sandwich her mother had prepared for her, knowing just what Jane would have time to eat.

Just as she finished her sandwich, her phone vibrated and Maura's name appeared on her screen. Smiling, she opened the text and couldn't contain the laughter as she saw the photo Maura had taken of herself, a noodle hanging between her pursed lips as if it were in mid-slurp.

* * *

Jane had texted Maura to let her know she was on her way home later that evening and, as promised, Maura ordered a pizza for them to share.

"Honey, I'm home!" Jane called, drawing out the word 'home' as she yanked her boots off and tucked them into the foyer closet, placing her gun and badge into the lock box Maura kept in the closet.

"In the kitchen!" Maura replied. "The pizza has just arrived so if you hurry maybe I won't eat it all," she laughed.

"Eat it all, huh?" Jane asked as she made her way into the kitchen, laughing when she saw Maura still in her large sweats. "Does that mean you're feeling better?" she asked as she wrapped her arms around Maura's midsection from behind, pressing her front to Maura's back.

"Much better, yes," Maura smiled as she plucked a mushroom from her half of the pizza and tossed it into her mouth. "I think your Rizzoli TLC worked its wonders."

"It always does," Jane said as she moved one arm away from Maura's midsection to sneak a pepperoni from her own half and eat it.

"We should probably move to the table or the couch before we snitch all the toppings from the pizza," Maura suggested.

"Couch. Easier to cuddle there," Jane replied as she reluctantly unwrapped her arms from Maura and grabbed a beer from the fridge, following Maura who carried the pizza box to the living room.

"I'm going to have to purchase you a body pillow for the times I need to travel for conferences," Maura laughed as she sat down on the couch, immediately relaxing against Jane's side when the detective sat next to her. "Spray my perfume on it so you have something to tide you over while I'm gone."

"Let's not talk about you needing to travel and leave me all alone and without cuddles," Jane huffed. "Oh," she said suddenly.

"Oh, what?" Maura asked, stopping mid-reach for a slice of pizza to look at Jane.

"I just realized I never properly greeted you," Jane smiled. "So, hello," she grinned before kissing Maura gently, conscious of Maura's still less than perfect health.

"Hi," Maura smiled when they pulled apart. "I think I could get very used to being greeted like that."

"I sure hope you can," Jane said, reaching for a slice of pepperoni pizza and taking a large bite of it. "So," she said over a mouthful of pizza. "You keep your lunch down?"

"I did," Maura smiled as she relaxed her head on Jane's shoulder and began to eat her own slice of pizza. "Although if you continue to talk with your mouth full like that, I may not keep dinner down."

"You love me," Jane said, purposefully opening her mouth widely to display the pizza still in her mouth.

"Unfortunately, yes," Maura replied with a roll of her eyes.

"Hey!" Jane said, using the hand wrapped around Maura's shoulders to pinch the doctor's arm. "What do you mean 'unfortunately?' Rude, Maura."

"Oh, hush," Maura laughed. "You know that I am so fortunate to love you and have you love me."

"I know," Jane said as she took another bite of her pizza. "So, you think you'll be good for work tomorrow?"

"I do, yes," Maura confirmed as she took another bite of her pizza, chewing completely before continuing. "My stomach has settled, the fever has gone down, and I'm no longer cold without reason. A simple 24 hour virus, as predicted."

"Good," Jane stated. "I guess you're not the only one who didn't realize how hard this was gonna be," Jane thought out loud. "Not being around each other all the time and stuff. I mean, I know it isn't an illusion or dream or anything but not being able to visit you downstairs or have you come up to the squad room sucked."

"What? My selfie wasn't as good as the real thing?"

"Although ridiculously adorable and now saved to my phone, no. A photo of you is nowhere near as good as the real you," Jane laughed.

"Can I tell you something?" Maura asked thoughtfully.

"Of course," Jane replied.

"I love that I get to see this side of you," Maura mused as she finished her slice of pizza and snuggled deeper against Jane. "Don't get me wrong-I love the Detective Rizzoli side of you with the swagger and drive and intensity but I feel so incredibly lucky to also be able to love the Jane side of you. The side that loves to cuddle and is gentle and open."

"Well, I don't really think anyone's ever gotten to see both sides of me in the way you've seen them," Jane shrugged. "I don't think I've ever wanted anyone to."

"And I am so honored that you want me to see every single part of you and trust me to see those parts of you. I hope you know that I love all parts of you and will never, ever betray the trust you have placed in me, Jane."

"I've never once entertained the thought that you would ever betray my trust, Maura," Jane stated firmly.

"I just felt the need to say that out loud," Maura said sheepishly.

"Well, I've also got something I wanted to say out loud," Jane smiled as she reached for another piece of pizza, grabbing one for Maura as she did so and passing it to the blonde.

"Thanks," Maura laughed as she accepted the slice. "What is it you wanted to say?"

"I've never wanted a relationship to work as much as I want ours to work," Jane stated after chewing her first bite. "And I know that we already know so much about each other. I mean, we kicked ass in New Haven and have been friends for years so doing the whole awkward, getting to know each other, courting and dating thing seems kinda pointless. But I wanna do it."

"Do it?" Maura asked, not entirely sure she understood.

"I wanna do the courting and dating thing," Jane clarified. "I wanna take you out on dates and-"

"Let me take you out on dates, too," Maura interrupted.

"Yes, that," Jane laughed. "I want us to go out on dates and celebrate anniversaries and maybe I'll sneak down into your office to leave you flowers and fudge while you sneak up to my desk to leave me chocolate covered espresso beans and little messages written on those sticky notes you love. I want us to do all those silly little couple things because, well, we're a couple."

"That sounds perfect," Maura smiled. "I would suggest making a sort of…weekly date night where, for example, we do something just the two of us every Saturday but we both know that our schedules can change without warning."

"Ain't that the truth," Jane laughed. "But we should try to do something couple-y at least once a week," Jane suggested. "Maybe it's goofing around in the kitchen or going to the symphony or a Red Sox game or just turning your house into a movie theatre with loads of popcorn and candy. But it'll just be us doing our thing. Together."

"I like that idea," Maura sighed as she finished her second slice of pizza and moved to wrap an arm around the front of Jane's midsection.

"Dude! I just got the best idea for a date night!"

"Care to share your brilliant idea?" Maura asked.

"We raid your linen closet and get all those extra sheets and blankets you keep here and build a blanket fort in the living room! It'll be great. I'll bring all my pillows from my place and we'll use all the ones you have here to make a nice squishy surface to snuggle on and we can have snacks and, oh boy! This is gonna be great!"

"A blanket fort?" Maura laughed as Jane explained her plan.

"I am the queen of blanket fort building," Jane boasted. "You'll love it. Trust me."

"I do," Maura said softly.

"Good," Jane grinned as she kissed the crown of Maura's head. "I think I'm gonna head upstairs and change into some sweats. You want anything to drink while I'm up?"

"I can get a drink while you change," Maura said.

"Not if you're gonna look through the billion channels you're subscribed to and find something for us to watch," Jane countered as she stood up and grabbed the pizza box.

"Are we actually going to watch what I decide on or are we going to be doing other activities?" Maura asked with a smirk.

"Since I wanna make sure you get back to perfect health, we'll most likely be watching but maybe some other activities will be thrown in for fun," Jane replied. "So pick something bearable!" she called over her shoulder as she put the pizza box in the fridge and jogged up to Maura's bedroom.

Laughing, Maura grabbed her remote and began to peruse the channels to search for something both she and Jane could enjoy.

"You want some more ginger ale?" Jane asked when she returned from changing into a tank top and sweatpants.

"That would be great," Maura called over her shoulder.

"Coming right up!" Jane smiled. "Oh, and I think I should tell you that Jo has curled herself up into a sleeping position on Bass' shell. Seems that she's quite comfy on him."

"Really?" Maura laughed turning to look over the couch to see that Jo Friday was in fact sleeping on Bass' shell. "Oh, goodness," she sighed.

"They were probably gossiping about us," Jane stated as she poured herself a glass of water and Maura a glass of ginger ale. "About how stupid we've been for not doing this whole couple thing sooner," she mused as she returned to the couch and handed Maura her glass.

"I'm sure that is exactly what my tortoise and your dog were doing," Maura laughed.

"Stranger things have happened," Jane shrugged. "So, what did you choose?"

"I have three options. We can watch a Modern Marvels special on the history of torture devices, which will interest me due to the medical aspect and you due to the, well, torture aspect. But there is also a Food Network special on how various types of Halloween candy is made since Halloween is next week and you love candy. Or there is a Red Sox documentary on that you might enjoy," Maura explained.

"Halloween _is_ next week!" Jane said, a grin on her face. "Which means all that tasty candy will be going on sale soon. Oh, we are so watching Food Network," Jane laughed as she grabbed the remote from Maura and quickly changed the channel.

"You really love Halloween, don't you?" Maura asked, sipping her soda as she allowed Jane to once again wrap an arm around her shoulders.

"Duh! I loved having younger brothers because, even if I was technically too old to trick-or-treat, I could still dress up to chaperone Frankie and Tommy," Jane explained. "I'm guessing you never really did the whole Halloween thing when you were younger?"

"No," Maura said softly.

"Well, we could do something this year," Jane suggested. "Maybe put a few orange lights up around your porch and hand out candy to the little ones who come out."

"May I make a suggestion?" Maura asked softly, picking up the hand Jane didn't have wrapped around her shoulders and beginning to trace the long fingers.

"Of course," Jane replied.

"I don't know the age at which children begin to trick-or-treat but if TJ is at that age, perhaps we could take him out? I understand that Tommy and Lydia are together and perhaps they'll want to trick-or-treat as a family but maybe we could offer to take him out so they can have their own Halloween fun. Angela can hand out candy from the main house and then keep TJ with her overnight in the guest house," Maura said softly. "Or is that a bad idea?" she asked, lifting her head to look up at Jane.

"I think that's a very good idea," Jane grinned, laughing when Maura's eyes lit up with excitement. "I'll text Tommy and see if he and Lydia want a night off."

"Thank you," Maura smiled, pressing a quick kiss to Jane's lips.

"Don't thank me yet. I might make you paint your face green and wear a polyester blend wicked witch costume," Jane teased.

"Not if you want any cuddles for the next decade," Maura threatened, though her eyes sparkled.

"You wouldn't dare withhold cuddles!"

Maura simply arched an eyebrow, challenging Jane to continue.

"Well, since you're threatening to withhold cuddles, guess I better get as many cuddles in as possible now," Jane sighed dramatically as she scooted into a horizontal position on the couch and guided Maura to lay atop her like they had done in the hotel room in New York.

"You're very comfy," Maura thought out loud as she relaxed her head onto Jane's chest, turning to face the television as Jane's hands slipped under the baggy sweatshirt to rest on Maura's back.

"I'm glad you think so," Jane laughed. "Alright, now shush. Let's learn how candy corn is made."

* * *

The next week was filled with investigations, autopsies, and trips to various party stores to sift through the already picked over Halloween decorations. Maura and Jane had finally found two boxes of orange and black lights to wrap around the handrails of the steps leading to Maura's front door.

"What types of candy should we purchase?" Maura asked as she walked hand in hand with Jane into the grocery store after leaving work a few hours early on Halloween.

"Well, since we're kinda cutting it real close and buying candy just hours before trick-or-treating stars, we might have slim pickings," Jane laughed.

"I'm sorry," Maura said. "I know we should have purchased candy earlier but in between autopsies and being short a tech in the lab, it's been a busy week."

"Hey, don't worry about it," Jane replied, squeezing Maura's hand as the entered the candy aisle. "Alright, so, we've got a pretty decent selection. Tootsie Pops are good and they've got some big bags of 'em left. Wonka Variety Bags are also good since they've got Nerds, Laffy Taffy, and Gobstoppers all mixed together."

"Are chocolate candies less popular?" Maura asked.

"I don't think they're less popular but I always preferred other types of candy. Chocolate melts and makes a mess everywhere but if you want we can get, like, a bag of mini Snickers or something," Jane explained.

"Let's get a little of everything," Maura smiled. "The Tootsie Pops, Wonka Variety Packs, Snickers, and whatever else you think would be nice. If we end the night with extra candy, we'll bring it to Headquarters tomorrow."

"Or I'll keep all the extra for myself," Jane laughed as she grabbed the mentioned bags of candy and placed them in the basket Maura held out in her hands. "Oh, they've got one bag of Starburst left. Those are your favorites, right?"

"They are," Maura smiled.

"It's a sign or somethin' like that," Jane grinned as she grabbed the bag. "You see anything else you think we should grab?"

Nodding, Maura reached towards the shelves and grabbed a large bag of individually wrapped Twizzlers, another bag of Tootsie Pops, and bags that contained individual bags of Skittles and M&amp;Ms.

"You've got a good eye, doc," Jane said when Maura had finished pulling bags from the shelves. "But, just so ya know, all the kids are gonna see how big of a selection you've got and expect you to deliver every year."

"I think I can do that," Maura grinned as they began to walk out of the candy aisle. "Would you like anything else while we're here? I forgot to check if you had any beer left at my place."

"Let's grab some beer and then head home."

The two women quickly picked out a pack of Jane's beer and, on a whim, a gallon of apple cider to heat and enjoy as the weather grew colder. As they reached the check-out, Maura insisted on paying for the candy and cider and Jane had allowed her to.

"Jane, don't forget to put the Starburst onto the belt," Maura smiled as she emptied her basket onto the conveyor belt.

"I'm buying them," Jane replied, placing a divider after Maura's candy and cider to place her beer and the bag of Starburst onto the belt.

"I told you that I would purchase the candy," Maura said softly. "It is my house we're handing it out at, after all."

"Remember how I said last week that I wanted us to do the whole courting and dating thing?" Jane asked. "Like, go on dates and leave each other silly surprises?"

"Yes."

"Well, I guess buying you a bag of your favorite candy is my idea of a silly surprise," Jane shrugged. "You don't ever really indulge yourself in candy a whole lot but maybe you'll keep a stash of Starburst in your desk or bedside table and think of me."

Maura smiled as she listened to Jane's explanation and, when the detective finished, placed a quick kiss to Jane's cheek.

"You're so sweet," she murmured into Jane's ear. "Remind me to thank you later tonight," she added before turning to engage in conversation with the cashier.

Jane groaned softly and forced herself to take several deep breaths to calm herself. After Maura recovered from her virus, they had spent increasing amounts of time each day tangled together on the couch or in bed, undergarments staying on but hands wandering to explore what was both familiar and yet not.

"Jane, you're up," Maura smirked as she broke Jane's reverie and gestured to the cashier who had already finished ringing Maura up and had scanned Jane's two items.

"Right. Yeah. Sorry," Jane said as she pulled out her wallet and swiped her credit card, quickly signing her name and grabbing her items.

"You seemed to be having a nice little daydream," Maura mused as they walked out to the parking lot.

"Oh, I was," Jane replied.

"And was I a part of this daydream?"

"Mmhmmm," Jane admitted as she opened Maura's trunk and placed her beer and candy into it as Maura deposited her two shopping bags and gallon of cider into the trunk as well. "But we probably shouldn't talk about the daydream."

"And why is that?" Maura asked as she shut her trunk and faced Jane.

"Cause Tommy is bringing TJ over around 5 tonight, which means Ma will be over a little bit before that because, well, she's Ma," Jane explained.

"But it's just past 3 right now," Maura pointed out.

"Yeah, and we're gonna need a heck of a lot longer than 2 hours for what I'm hoping for," Jane grinned.

"Oh," Maura breathed.

"Yeah," Jane laughed. "But we can still cuddle so let's get in the car and head back you your place!"

* * *

As predicted, Maura and Jane were spooning on the couch when Angela entered the main house at a quarter to five, calling out her greeting as she did so.

"We're in the living room, ma!" Jane called, pulling her hand from where it had slipped under Maura's shirt to rest over the fabric instead of on bare skin.

"Well, don't you two look cozy," Angela smiled as she saw the two women pressed tightly together.

"Figured we'd get some rest in before takin' TJ out," Jane explained.

"He's certainly going to be rambunctious," Angela laughed. "Especially if he is anything like you three were."

"Hey, we weren't that bad!" Jane retorted.

"You were little hellions," Angela countered, causing Maura to laugh. "Oh, Maura. I'll have to see if I can find any Halloween photos from when Janie was younger. I have so many stories to share with you and the photos are just perfect."

"I would love to see the photos," Maura chuckled as she felt Jane's groan from behind her.

"I'll hunt for them and be sure to share them," Angela laughed. "It looks like you guys got lots of candy for the kiddos," she noted as she saw the bags sitting out on the kitchen island.

"I told Maura that she was setting the bar pretty high for future years but she didn't care," Jane explained.

"Plus Jane graciously volunteered to eat any of the remaining candy so it doesn't go to waste," Maura added.

"Well, duh," Jane laughed. "Alright, let's get up. TJ should be here soon and if he sees us snuggling, he'll join and we'll never leave the couch."

As if on cue, there was a knock on Maura's front door, followed by a muffled giggle.

"I'll get the door," Angela offered as she rose to greet Tommy, Lydia, and TJ.

Jane and Maura stood up, stretching briefly as they heard Angela begin to gush over TJ's costume.

"Let's go see what wacky outfit Tommy put his kid in," Jane laughed as she took Maura's hand and walked towards the entryway to Maura's house.

"Hey, sis," Tommy greeted as he saw Jane enter. "Hey, Maura," he added.

"What on Earth are you wearing?" Jane asked, stopping dead in her tracks when she saw her brother.

"I'm Popeye!" he said, gesturing to the fake muscles on his arms. "Lydia's office Halloween party encourages couple's costumes so she's gonna be Olive Oyl."

"That's cute," Maura complimented.

"Thanks," Tommy grinned. "And thanks for offering to take TJ tonight. He's super excited to trick-or-treat with-"

"Aunt Jay!"

The three adults turned to see Angela returning from putting TJ's bag in the guest house, a squirming toddler in her arms reaching for Jane.

"Hey, little guy," Jane smiled, letting go of Maura's hand to greet her nephew. "Oh, my God," she laughed as she saw his costume. "Was this your idea?" she asked, taking TJ from her mother and rubbing her nose to his.

"Nope. All his idea," Tommy grinned. "I took him to look for costumes and he saw the little cop uniform and decided he wanted to be like Aunt Jay. Wouldn't even look at other costumes."

"Well, he is the cutest little cop I've ever seen," Jane cooed to TJ. "Yes, you are. Certainly cuter than your Uncle Frankie."

"There's also a little hat," Tommy said as he handed a small cop hat to Maura who was watching Jane interact with TJ, a smile on her face. "You guys thinkin' about having a kid of your own?" he asked softly, trying to keep Angela away from their conversation.

"We aren't thinking of having one at the moment," Maura said as she turned to face Tommy. "But in the future I can see us raising a child, yes. But that's only my thought. Jane and I haven't discussed anything more than ensuring we go on regularly dates so I have no idea if she would want a child."

"She's good with the little guy," he smiled. "I think you two would be great moms."

"Thank you," Maura replied. "You're doing a wonderful job with him, Tommy."

"Aw, thanks," Tommy grinned. "He's definitely a Rizzoli, that's for sure."

"Well, of course he's a Rizzoli," Jane continued to speak to the young child in a high voice as she appeared next to Maura.

"Auntie Mo-wa!" TJ called as his eyes found Maura.

"Well, seems the little one is all good so I'm gonna head out," Tommy said as he watched Maura hold out her hand for TJ to grasp at her finger with his small hands, both women smiling. "Thanks again for takin' him out."

"Say bye-bye to daddy," Jane said to TJ.

"Bye-bye!" the small child called, not taking his attention from the ring Maura had worn on her right hand.

"I'll pick him up tomorrow morning before you head to work. That okay, Ma?" Tommy asked.

"That's okay with me," Angela replied. "We'll see you tomorrow, Tommy. Have a good time tonight with Lydia!"

"I will," he promised. "Bye, little man! See ya, Jane, Maura."

And with that, Tommy left in his Popeye costume to meet Lydia at her office party.

"Do you gals have costumes to wear?" Angela asked as she watched her daughter and Maura fawn over TJ.

"Nah," Jane said. "All eyes deserve to be on Officer TJ," she laughed.

"Well, I see some younger kids starting to appear on the streets so how about you get into comfy shoes and I'll get Officer TJ here his pumpkin bucket? Then I'll turn on the porch light and start trying to get rid of all that candy you bought."

"You ready to head out?" Jane asked Maura.

"I'll just need to put on a pair of flats so I can keep up with you and TJ but other than that, yes. I'm quite ready to experience my first round of trick-or-treating."

"Trick or treat!" TJ said, bouncing in Jane's arms.

"Yeah, little man," Angela cooed as she took TJ into her arms, although he promptly demanded to be put down and scamper over to greet Bass and Jo.

Placing her hand at the small of Maura's back, Jane began to walk upstairs towards Maura's bedroom where Maura could find an appropriate pair of flats.

"Your boots are in the closet downstairs," Maura pointed out as they entered the bedroom.

"I know," Jane shrugged. "I just wanted to say something without Ma being nosey," she added as Maura disappeared into her closet and pulled out a pair of simple black flats.

"What is it that you wanted to say?" Maura asked, reappearing in the bedroom and slipping the shoes on.

"I heard you talkin' to Tommy about if we were ever gonna have kids," Jane said.

"He asked and I probably should have just told him that you and I haven't discussed that yet," Maura quickly tried to explain. "I'm sorry. I really should-"

"Hey," Jane laughed, wrapping her arms around Maura and pulling her into a hug. "Don't apologize. Unless my mother heard, then you'll need to apologize."

"I don't think she heard," Maura smiled as she returned Jane's hug.

"Good. But, uh, about what you said to Tommy…" Jane trailed off.

"Yes?"

"I can see us raising a kid together, too," Jane admitted. "I mean, not for a few years but I can see us chasing after a dark haired genius baby. Or maybe adopting one. Or maybe we have one biologically and adopt one. Either way, our kids will be great."

"Are you serious?" Maura asked, lifting her head up to look directly at Jane.

"Yeah," Jane smiled. "I am."

"I love you," Maura beamed as she rose to stand on her toes and kiss Jane deeply.

Jane tightened her hold on Maura, sliding her hands down to cup Maura's ass and squeeze.

"We need to head back downstairs," Maura gasped when she felt Jane's hand's firmly grasping her ass.

"Continue this later?" Jane asked before capturing Maura's lips in another bruising kiss.

"Later."

* * *

**So, the next chapter will certainly be M rated. I'll most likely bump the entire story rating up to that, just so ya'll know.**

**Once again, I am so terribly sorry that this has taken so long to update. Life has been hell lately and I've been in a pretty dark, emotionally bad place. But I promise to update this soon!**

**Reviews are lovely!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hi, ya'll! I'm so sorry for the long delay! Life has been pretty rough but I promise that I'm going to work on being better at writing for ya'll!**

**This chapter is the M rated stuff, so I've changed the rating for the story. There won't be smut in every chapter so I'll warn you when there is smut.**

**I mentioned this in Letters to Maura but if any of ya'll have a Tumblr and want to introduce yourselves, I'd like that very much! My URL is lifeisuntitled.**

**Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

After making their way around Maura's block and the neighboring block, the trio was making their way back to Maura's home, TJ nestled against Maura's chest.

"You's so soft, Auntie Mo-wa," TJ commented sleepily. "Aunt Jay's not soft like you."

"Well, is being soft a good thing?" Maura asked the small toddler in her arms.

"S'real good," TJ replied. "I like it."

"I like it, too, little buddy," Jane smiled as she watched her girlfriend and nephew interact. "Auntie Maura being soft is pretty great."

"Jane," Maura chuckled, turning to look at the detective who had a smirk on her face.

"What?" Jane asked. "It's the truth! Your," Jane said, using her hands to gesture to Maura's chest area, "is a really soft and cuddly place to be. I rather enjoy it."

"If this is your idea of foreplay, we'll need to work on some improvements," Maura said.

"Foreplay?"

"Yes, foreplay. Or were you not being serious when you said we would continue our earlier activities later this evening?" Maura asked, half teasing and half genuinely curious.

"Oh, I was serious," Jane insisted with a wink.

"Good," Maura smiled.

"We almost home?" TJ asked, his arms loosening their grip around Maura's neck as the exhaustion from the excitement of Halloween inched into his body. "I'm sleepy."

"We're almost there," Maura said gently. "Then you can put on your Thomas the Tank Engine pajamas and Nana will make sure you've got your glass of milk before tucking you into bed."

"What 'bout all my candy?" the toddler asked.

"You can have a piece or two," Jane said, seeing the way Maura looked at her to silently ask what protocol for evening candy eating was. "And then you can eat candy for breakfast, lunch, and dinner until it's all gone," she said as she reached out to ruffle her nephew's hair gently.

"Auntie Mo-wa says I gotta eat my candy slow," TJ murmured.

"Auntie Maura is a goober," Jane said conspiratorially to TJ.

"Jane Clementine Rizzoli, you did not just call me a goober," Maura gasped in mock horror as her house came into view.

"I did," Jane grinned.

"Well, let's see what other names you call me when you have to keep your hands to yourself for the next 24 hours," Maura stated as she shifted TJ slightly so she could reach into her pocket to pull out her keys as they walked up to her front door.

"24 hours?" Jane gasped. "You're not gonna cuddle with me for 24 hours?"

"Do you wanna ring the doorbell, Officer TJ?" Maura asked, grinning at the toddler in her arms as she ignored Jane's shocked face. "Get a few last pieces of candy from Nana?"

Nodding happily, TJ reached his hand out to ring Maura's doorbell, greeted moments later by a smiling Angela with a bowl of candy in her hand.

"Well, hello there," the Rizzoli matriarch beamed as she saw TJ smiling almost as widely as Maura and Jane were smiling.

"Why don't you show Nana what I taught you?" Jane encouraged the small child.

"Boston Police!" he said with a small giggle. "You's under arrest, Nana!"

"Oh, no," Angela said, feigning shock with a hand placed over her heart. "Is there anything I can do to avoid arrest, Officer TJ?"

"More candy!" he giggled, bouncing slightly in Maura's arms.

"You're certainly a Rizzoli," Angela laughed as she stepped aside to let Maura and Jane enter the house, flipping the porch light off as she did so to let the remaining trick or treaters know their house was done for the night.

"How was he?" Angela asked as she set the bowl of candy on the kitchen island.

"He was great," Maura smiled as she lowered TJ to the stand on the floor, chuckling as he toddled to the island and attempted to peer onto the top of it where the candy was. "We walked around this block and the next one before he started to get tired and asked to be carried."

Jane had followed TJ to the island, picking him up to sit on top of the counter so they could look through his pumpkin bucket with the goodies he had earned that night together.

"She's so great with him," Angela noted as she watched Jane animatedly talk with the toddler. "Ever since she was younger she always resisted the idea of being a mother. But I think she could be a great mother."

"I agree," Maura smiled as she also watched the detective interact with the small child. "But we've only been together a short time so maybe hold off of the baby talk," she said, turning to raise an eyebrow at Angela.

"What do you mean hold off on the baby talk?"

"Angela, you and I both know that you want more grandchildren. And perhaps one day Jane and I can provide you with one or two," she said as she brought her gaze back to Jane. "But for now I think that Jane and I would love the opportunity to be just that. Us."

"Okay," Angela said simply.

"Okay?" Maura asked, caught slightly off guard at Angela's simple reply.

"Yes, okay," Angela smiled "I can tone it down and not be the nosy, meddling mother that Jane always says I am," she chuckled as she nudged Maura's shoulder with her own. "I know you two are so deeply in love so I can back off with the grandbaby talk They'll come eventually."

"Thank you," Maura laughed.

"Nana! Auntie Mo-wa!" TJ called, waving his hands to beckon the two women over to him. Once they arrived, he held out a miniature box of Junior Mints to Angela and a twin pack of Starburst to Maura.

"These are my favorite," Angela cooed as she took the offered candy from TJ.

"Aunt Jay told me," TJ said with a bashful smile. "Those is your favorite, right Auntie Mo-wa?" he asked, turning to look up at Maura with hopeful eyes.

"They are!" Maura grinned. "Thank you so much, Officer."

"You's welcome," he smiled, yawning immediately as he finished the words.

"Looks like it's time for Officer TJ to get to bed," Jane said. "Do you want some milk before letting Nana tuck you in?"

"Yes, please," TJ said, little hands coming up to rub his tired eyes. "Can Auntie Mo-wa help me get into my jammies?"

Both Jane and Angela looked at Maura who, after a moment of surprise at being requested by TJ, was smiling down at the toddler.

"Of course I can, little buddy," Maura smiled, reaching out to pick him up and allowing him to nuzzle against her.

"So soft," he murmured.

"His bag is on the couch in the guest house," Angela said softly as she watched TJ's eyes close. "I'll pour him a bit of milk and meet you in there in a few minutes."

Nodding, Maura turned to walk to her guest house and help the child she considered her nephew get ready for bed.

* * *

"Hey," Jane greeted when Maura re-entered the main house after helping TJ change and bidding Angela good night.

"Hi," Maura smiled as she walked to the kitchen island where Jane stood, moving behind Jane to wrap her arms around the detective's midsection.

"I poured us some apple cider," Jane said as she gestured to the two mugs in front of her. "I snuck two caramel squares from TJ's stash and put them in the mugs before pouring the hot cider into them," she explained.

"Thank you," Maura said as she rested her cheek on Jane's back.

"Did trick or treating wear you out, too?" Jane laughed as she rested her own arms over Maura's.

"No," Maura chuckled. "I'm not tired. Just…happy," she stated.

"I'm happy, too," Jane said honestly.

"I'm glad," Maura replied. "Can you hand me that envelope?" she asked, noticing a hand addressed envelope on the top of the mail she had brought in earlier in the day.

Doing as requested, Jane used her longer limbs to reach for the mail and hand the envelope to Maura who reluctantly pulled her arms from Jane's midsection and moved to stand next to the detective.

"Who's it from?" Jane asked, taking one of the mugs into her hands and sipping the hot cider.

"I think I might know but I won't be certain until I open it," Maura said as she opened the envelope and began to read the letter, also hand written, her expression falling briefly before brightening again. "It's from Amanda, the young woman who took our photo when we went onto New Haven Newlyweds," Maura stated as she handed the letter to Jane.

"Really?" Jane asked, accepting the letter.

"Really," Maura confirmed as she reached for her own mug of cider. "Read it," she encouraged.

_Dear Dr. Isles,  
This is Amanda Millicamp, the young photographer who took your photo when you came onto the New Haven Newlyweds in September. Word got out about what Roger did to you and those other couples and eventually the police chief gave a statement that you and Detective Jane Rizzoli had gone under cover to catch him. I hope it's okay that I found your address.  
Our producer decided that, with all the negative press coming into New Haven and stuff that it was best we cancel the show. Which sucks because that was my job to help me prepare for college. But I've started doing some freelance photography on the side, which is actually the reason I'm writing to you today. I know that I took your photo with Detective Rizzoli when you came onto the show but you guys were undercover and kinda pretending to be people you're not. I wanted to extend an offer to you and her to allow me to host a photo shoot for the both of you. I'm not sure if you're a couple in real life, but I'd be happy to do something romantic or something just as friends. I wouldn't charge either of you anything and would give you electronic copies of all the photos taken. I could come to Boston or we could meet somewhere else. Regardless, I would love the chance to meet you both (for real this time) and give you guys the chance to be yourselves in front of my camera. My cell number is below so feel free to give me a call.  
Best Wishes,  
Amanda._

"That's super sweet," Jane smiled as she set the letter down.

"It is, isn't it?" Maura mused.

"Especially since when we saw the photos taken of us at the show, they kinda made you a little upset," Jane pointed out, remembering the way Maura had sadly looked at the photos of the two of them and commented that she wasn't sure if the happiness in the photos was happiness between Morgan and Janet or Maura and Jane.

"Would you like to take her up on her offer?" Maura asked, sipping the cider Jane had prepared for her. "Have our photos taken somewhere?"

"I think I would, yeah," Jane smiled as she wrapped an arm around Maura's shoulders and pressed a kiss to the side of her head. "Would you?"

"Yes," Maura stated.

"Well, then I say we give her a call."

"Later," Maura commented as she picked up her mug of cider in one hand and moved away from Jane, taking one of the brunette's hands in her other hand.

"Later?" Jane asked, picking up her own cider before allowing Maura to begin guiding her to the stairwell.

"Yes, later," Maura smiled as she turned the kitchen light off. "I do believe that I said you needed help to improve your attempts at foreplay," she smirked, not letting Jane's hand go as she walked up the stairs to her bedroom.

"What happened to me keeping my hands to myself for the next 24 hours?" Jane asked with a soft chuckle.

Maura simply shrugged, bringing the mug to her lips for a long sip as she nudged her bedroom door open with her hips.

"Just gonna remind you that I've never done this before," Jane said, her voice sounding far more confident than she felt as she shut Maura's bedroom door, not bothering to turn on the light since the street lights and large moon were casting the room in a warm glow.

"I know," Maura said as she set her mug down on her vanity, turning to face Jane and take the mug from her and setting it next to hers.

"And that you _have _done this before," Jane added.

"And I'm going to remind you that we never have to do anything you're not ready for or uncomfortable with," Maura said softly as she wrapped her arms around Jane's neck.

"Oh, I'm ready and totally comfortable," Jane laughed as her hands came up to rest on Maura's hips. "I just don't really know what I'm doing. And I'm kinda worried that I might suck at this."

"You're going to be perfect," Maura whispered in Jane's ear before placing gentle kisses from just below the lobe, down a strong jaw, and onto her favorite pair of lips. "And I highly doubt you don't know what you're doing," she murmured when she pulled away for air. "You are a female, after all. Which means you're at least somewhat familiar with the anatomy and will have a home field advantage, yes?"

"Yeah," Jane laughed as she pressed her lips to Maura's gently. "But we can go slow? And you'll tell me if I suck?"

"We can go slowly, yes," Maura said, emphasizing the adverb. "And I've always been a rather vocal lover so I think you'll be able to tell how you're doing."

"Well, growing up with two little brothers and a nosey mother and my Pop, I trained myself to shut the hell up whenever doing anything remotely sexual," Jane said as she pulled Maura closer to her, their bodies pressed tightly together. "So being vocal isn't really something you should expect from me."

"Is that a challenge, detective?"

"I should be nervous that you seem to want me to challenge you to see how vocal you can make me," Jane thought out loud. "But for some reason, I find myself oddly aroused."

"Aroused is certainly a good thing to be," Maura murmured as she began to place gentle kisses down Jane's neck and to her clavicle. "Let me take care of you," she whispered as her hands slid from around Jane's shoulders to rest at the top buttons of the deep green button up shirt Jane wore. "Please let me show you how much I love you."

"Okay," Jane breathed, using only one word to hand over the reins of control to Maura as she felt her body responding to Maura's gentle kisses in a way it had never responded before.

Maura continued to press kisses to the exposed skin of Jane's neck, her hands deftly unbuttoning the shirt, pressing her kisses lower until she reached the top of a tank top.

"You wear too many layers," Maura grumbled as she pushed the button up from Jane's shoulders, bringing her lips to kiss Jane's laughing mouth.

"I'll start wearing less layers," Jane chuckled as Maura quickly lifted the tank top up and over Jane's head, tossing it behind her and leaving Jane in a simple navy cotton bra.

"Thank you," Maura smiled, her hands moving to run over Jane's abs. "TJ was wrong when he said you weren't soft," she complimented. "Your skin is so wonderfully soft and smooth."

Jane made a soft noise of acknowledgement as she felt Maura's hands cover her breasts, each of her thumbs rubbing her nipples over the fabric. Her hands had been resting unmoving on Maura's hips but they soon moved to untuck the blonde's crimson blouse from black slacks, fingers beginning to unbutton the blouse once it was free.

Maura continued her soft ministrations over Jane's breasts, massaging them gently over the bra, intent on prolonging this occasion as long as possible and bringing them both as much pleasure as possible.

"Really?" she heard Jane chuckle, prompting her to pull her lips away from where they'd been kissing a collarbone to look up at Jane.

"Really what?" Maura asked.

"Your bra is orange," Jane smiled, reaching up to trace the top of a lacey orange cup.

"I wanted to have a bit of Halloween spirit," Maura explained with a smile. "If you don't like it-"

"No, I like it," Jane interrupted before pressing a kiss to Maura's lips.

"Oh," Maura said softly. "I was going to say that if you didn't like it, I could take it off."

"I hate it," Jane said quickly. "Loathe it, actually. I think it's the ugliest bra I've ever seen and I'm feeling queasy just looking at it. You should definitely take it off."

Grinning, Maura took a small step back so Jane had a clear view of her torso. She shrugged out of the silk blouse, draping it over the chair at her vanity locking her eyes with Jane's. She reached behind her and deftly unhooked her bra, tugging it off and gently tossing it into her laundry basket.

"Sweet Jesus," Jane breathed when she saw Maura's breasts free from constraint for the first time, her light pink nipples already hardening under Jane's gaze. Her hand twitched, eager to touch. "Can I…" she trailed off, tearing her gaze from the breasts to Maura's face.

"Please," Maura nodded, stepping back forward towards Jane.

With permission, Jane's hands came to Maura's hips, giving them a gentle squeeze before slowly running up her sides, onto her shoulders, and down her collarbone before coming to rest on top of two voluptuous mounds.

Maura let out a content sigh as she felt her favorite pair of hands come to rest on her chest. She had fantasized about the feeling so many times but her mind had never been able to properly imagine the subtle way scalpel scars would tickle her nipples or the occasional callus cause her to shiver slightly. After a moment, Jane began to move her hands. Lifting the breasts to feel their weight in her palm, brushing her thumbs over sensitized nipples hard as bullets, squeezing gently, and occasionally pinching the pink nubs.

"So much better than I imagined," Maura breathed, a hand shooting up to weave in Jane's hair when she felt the detective bend down to press kisses to the tops of her breasts. "Bed," she sighed, feeling her legs begin to turn into jelly.

"You got it," Jane replied, letting go of Maura's breasts to take her hands and walk backwards towards the bed, turning them around so she could gently push Maura onto her back, crawling atop her. When Maura's hands moved to the clasp at the back of Jane's bra and she looked up at the detective, Jane knew what she was asking. "Yes," she answered the silent question.

Maura quickly unhooked Jane's bra and flung it away from her and, keeping her hands at the middle of Jane's back, pulled the brunette fully atop her and crashed their lips together. Unlike the previous kisses from the evening, this was fierce and eager, tongues tangling with each other in between gentle nips. Jane was so engrossed in the kiss and the feeling of their breasts pressed together that she didn't notice Maura wrapping her legs around her until she rolled them over, reversing their positions.

"Woah," Jane breathed when Maura sat up to look down at her girlfriend.

"I like the view from up here better," Maura stated, a glint in her eyes.

"Well, from down here the view certainly looks like you want to devour me," Jane admitted, her hands moving to rub up Maura's hips.

"Well, I do want to devour you," Maura teased, rocking her hips against Jane's.

"Oh, God," Jane groaned, her eyes fluttering closed.

"I have to see all of you," Maura said, her hands quickly moving to undo Jane's belt and yank the zipper down, sliding to the foot of the bed so she could hook her fingers in the waistband of slacks and underwear and tug them off, letting them fall to the floor.

Kneeling between Jane's legs, Maura allowed her eyes to roam over Jane's bare body with equal amounts of lust and love in her gaze. From her hair fanned out on the pillow and her kiss swollen lips to her heaving chest, toned abdomen, and circular bullet hole, down to a bare mound and muscular legs.

Jane squirmed, self-conscious under Maura's gaze and her hands twitched with the desire to cover herself.

"Jane, stop squirming," Maura said, her hands coming to rub gently up and down Jane's outer thighs. "You are so stunning."

Jane simply looked up at Maura and shrugged.

"When we were in New Haven, it nearly broke my heart to hear you say you could ever consider yourself anything close to a Mr. Hyde creature," Maura admitted softly. "You deserve to have a lover who tells you how incredibly your body is at every opportunity."

"Are you going to be that lover?" Jane asked.

"Mmm, I would love to be that lover," Maura smiled as she bent down and placed a kiss to Jane's belly button, moving her kisses further up her abs, in between her breasts, along her neck, and back to Jane's lips. When Maura finally broke the kiss, Jane spoke.

"I really love the way you look in pants but, please," she sighed as she felt Maua nip gently at her earlobe. "Take them off."

Maura rolled gently off of Jane, lying on her back as she quickly undid her pants and pushed them and her matching orange underwear past her hips, kicking them to the floor before resuming her post above Jane.

"As much as I want to ravish you right now," Maura said as she laid herself completely on top of Jane, resting her ear over Jane's heart and tangling their legs together, "I want to take a moment just to feel this. Our bare bodies pressed together for the first time."

"I love you," Jane said, a hand coming up to run through Maura's hair.

"I love you, too," Maura smiled, turning her head slightly to press a kiss to where Jane's heartbeat thrummed in her chest.

"I'm a little nervous," Jane admitted.

"Oh, Jane," Maura said gently, lifting her head up to look at Jane. "If you're nervous, we don't have to do this. We don't have to do anything you're not ready for," she soothed, cupping Jane's cheek and running a thumb gently over the bone. "We can just stay snuggled like this for the next 15.21 days if you'd like."

"I'm ready and I'm really freakin' turned on right now," Jane stated, smiling at Maura's gentleness. "It's just…I always had trouble getting off with other partners. I'd be feeling real good and then it'd be like my mind realized what it would mean if I, ya know, and suddenly I couldn't get off. The guy would get off and then I'd find some excuse to go to the bathroom or they'd go to get a snack and I could rub it out in private."

"Climaxing with a partner is certainly a very vulnerable, out of control position for someone to be in," Maura soothed.

"I don't want you to feel like I'm not enjoying this or like you're not doing a good job if I can't get off," Jane admitted. "I don't want you to feel like I don't trust you enough to let myself get off."

"I know that you trust me and that's more than enough for me," Maura smiled, pressing a kiss to Jane's lips. "I just wonder If you'll feel bad if unable to reach climax."

"Probably," Jane said with a soft chuckle.

"Thank you for being honest with me," Maura said, relaxing her head back down over Jane's heart.

"I always will be," Jane promised.

The two women remained in a peaceful embrace until Maura shifted slightly, their pelvises pressing together and eliciting a soft moan from Jane.

"Oh, dear," Maura smiled. "We can't have you moaning like that."

"Like what?"

"So quietly," the doctor replied, the devilish glint returning to her eyes as she swiftly placed her mouth over Jane's right breast and began to lavish it with attention. Jane couldn't stop the gasp that escaped her, both at the surprise of Maura's actions and the fact that it felt so heavenly. Her hands gripped the deep purple sheets of Maura's bed, certain that she would float away without something to hold on to.

Maura smiled around Jane's breast, using one hand to keep her propped up and another to cup the neglected breast to bestow attention to both of the firm mounds. She continued for another minute, using her teeth gently just before letting the right breast slip from her lips, kissing her way to the left and starting all over again.

Jane continued to grip the sheets, soft moans forcing their way out of her as Maura licked, sucked, nibbled, and pinched her breasts with a tenderness she'd never felt before. Soft curls tickled her chest and she sent a silent prayer that the feelings Maura was causing would never end.

After lavishing the same amount of attention to both of Jane's breasts, Maura placed a kiss to the valley between them before beginning to pepper kisses down lower and lower until her nostrils picked up on a scent she'd spent hours attempting to imagine. When Maura placed an open mouthed kiss to each of her hipbones, Jane opened her eyes in time to look down and see Maura settling fully on her stomach between her legs.

"Maur," Jane breathed.

"Is this okay?" she asked, her hands massaging Jane's inner thighs gently.

"Y-yeah," Jane stammered, her arousal at levels she couldn't ever recall them being at before.

"Good," Maura said gently, kissing Jane's inner thigh. "I'll stop the minute you say so," she stated.

"In order for me to tell you to stop, you have to start," Jane chuckled.

Smiling, Maura dipped her head and made one long, firm swipe with her tongue from Jane's opening to her clit. She moaned at her first taste of the detective and felt a flash of desire run though her. A desire to bring Jane over the edge she was hesitant to step over, a desire to possess Jane as she had never been before, and a desire to lap at her wetness until there was nothing left for her to savor.

After her first swipe, Maura made a few more broad licks before closing her lips over a swollen clit and sucking gently.

Jane couldn't stop her hands from letting go of the sheets and shooting to Maura's head, weaving into golden curls as she felt a gently sucking on her bundle of nerves.

"Oh, God," she choked out, years of having to keep her pleasure silent still holding her back. "Maura," she said, still clearly trying to hold herself back.

"Trust me, Jane," Maura said, barely pulling her mouth away from Jane's mound to deliver the command before returning her lips to surround Jane's clit.

"I do—oh, shit," Jane ground out as she felt Maura slide a single finger inside of her and press upwards, hitting a sweet spot she'd never had a lover zone in on so quickly.

Maura's finger maintained a leisurely pace in and out, trying different speeds and angles until she found the movement that made Jane cry out just a bit louder and with a bit less inhibition than before. She continued to alternate between tracing patterns on and around Jane's clit and sucking the entire bundle into her mouth, slowly bringing Jane higher and higher.

When Maura added a second finger to her thrusts, Jane's back arched without her permission and she couldn't help the long "fuck" that she moaned out as Maura filled her even more.

Her inner walls began to clench around Maura's fingers and Maura's flash of desire passed through her again. She sped up her fingers, making sure to curve up as she pulled out to hit Jane's sweet spot, and sucked on Jane's clit with more vigor than before, desperate to send her love over the edge so few others had brought her over.

Jane felt herself reach the edge and recognized the fear creeping into her mind as she hovered over the edge.

_You'll be out of control. _

_She'll see you at your most open and leave. _

_The pleasure isn't going to last. _

_This is too intimate. _

_She is so much more than you deserve._

"Jane," Maura cooed, her fingers still moving as she attempted to reassure Jane in a single word.

And with that word, Jane imploded.

_You can give her the control._

_She'll see you at your most open and love you even more._

_The happiness will last._

_This intimacy is welcome._

_You deserve each other._

"Maura!" Jane called out, her back arching and pressing her tighter to Maura's face. Her hands gripped Maura's head tightly, the soft curls further reminding her who brought her this pleasure. Her thighs trembled as Maura slowed but didn't stop her thrusts and sucked her clit softer and softer until her lips were simply resting over the nub.

Just as Jane's back relaxed back onto the bed, Maura cured her fingers upward with a smile and was met with a sharp inhalation as Jane's back arched once again. Jane's hips began to rock with Maura's fingers subconsciously and both women knew another orgasm wasn't far off.

"You are so beautiful," Maura complimented, her fingers still moving in and out of Jane as she used her free hand to help propel her up so her face was level with Jane's. The detective's eyes were closed, her mouth open as moans and gasps slipped from her mouth and Maura felt her own arousal skyrocket at the sight.

"Maur," Jane gasped, feeling Maura's gaze on her. "Kiss me," she pleaded.

Doing as instructed, Maura captured Jane's parted lips in a bruising kiss and caught the pleasured sounds coming from the woman below her.

"Fuck!" Jane gasped, breaking away from Maura's lips when she felt the blonde's fingers shift so her thumb could brush her thumb.

"Come for me," Maura commanded. "Let me see you at your most beautiful, Jane."

"Keep talking," Jane begged, desperate for a second release.

"You feel so amazing," Maura smiled, watching Jane's face closely. "I love the way you feel and the way you taste and sound and smell and, oh God do I love the way you look. So beautiful. And I love you, Jane. And you're going to come again because of how much I love you."

Jane could only nod briefly before her second orgasm tore through her, powerful tremors wracking her thighs as she felt pleasure run through every vein in her body.

"Maura!" she called out again as her back arched and she and Maura's bodies pressed together. Her mind was only able to formulate that one word as it sought to remind her that it was Maura who was making her feel this way, Maura who she could trust, and Maura who she could love without inhibition.

Just as before, Maura slowed her fingers until Jane's thighs stopped shaking, slowly pulling them out but leaving her hand between Jane's thighs to cup her sensitive mound.

"Jane," Maura whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to Jane's forehead. "I love you so much. Thank you for trusting me enough to let go."

Jane nodded her head, acknowledging what Maura had said but unable to formulate words to respond.

Maura gently rolled off Jane, cognizant that Jane was breathing heavily and that relaxing atop of her would make her breathing labored. She immediately rolled onto her side, throwing an arm across Jane's midsection as she buried her head into the crook of a sweaty neck.

Jane found enough energy in her to wrap an arm around Maura's shoulders and hold her tight to her side as she gulped down air, eager for her body to recover so she could reciprocate.

"Maura," she finally managed to say.

"Mmm?" Maura asked, not wanting to remove herself from being tucked tightly against Jane's body, her lips pursed over Jane's pulse point so she could feel her heartbeat.

"Look at me," Jane said.

Reluctantly, Maura pulled her face from where it rested against Jane's neck and was greeted by Jane's face turned to face her, a content smile on her face.

"Hi," Maura whispered sheepishly.

"Hi," Jane repeated. "That was…Wow."

"Wow?" Maura asked, her dimples deepening as her smile widened.

"Very, very wow," Jane clarified before pressing languid kiss to Maura's smiling lips. "Two times in a row is quite impressive, Doctor Isles."

"Well, I always was an overachiever," Maura smiled as she returned her face to Jane's neck, inhaling deeply and committing every detail to memory.

"Thank God for that," Jane chucked as she felt her strength return and her fingers began to run through Maura's hair. "Gimme another minute to finish recovering and I'll reciprocate."

"Take your time," Maura murmured. "Studies show that cuddling post-coitus is a surefire way for couples to strengthen their bond."

"Well, then it's a good thing we're both pretty big cuddlers," Jane smiled.

Maura simply tightened her arm around Jane's midsection, pulling them impossibly closer.

Minutes passed as the two women remained in a tight embrace, Maura occasionally placing a kiss wherever her lips could reach and Jane doing the same. It wasn't until Jane's hand left Maura's hair and began to trace patterns on her back that Maura realized how much those simple touches from Jane quickly placed her arousal at the forefront of her mind.

To signal her readiness, she swung a leg over Jane's thighs and quickly straddled her, mimicking the position she had been in earlier.

"Looks like someone's ready," Jane smiled as she placed her hands on Maura's waist.

"Very ready," Maura confirmed, taking Jane's hands and bringing them up to rest on her breasts.

Taking the hint, Jane began to once again work over Maura's breasts, massaging, caressing, and pinching the sensitive flesh as Maura began to rock her hips steadily against Jane, seeking any sort of friction for her clit to begin pursuing her own orgasm.

As Jane's hands grew bolder on her chest, Maura's hips began to grind harder and faster against Jane, breathy moans and sighs escaping the blonde. But it wasn't going to be enough.

"Jane," Maura gasped, never stilling her hips.

"Anything you want, I'll do it," Jane promised, knowing that Maura would soon be asking her something and eager to give it to her.

"Inside of me," she requested. "Please, fuck me," she added.

Grinning at the swear coming from Maura, Jane let her left hand slide from Maura's breast and scraped her nails gently down a toned abdomen until she met warmth and slickness. Maura stopped her hips from moving and, placing a hand on Jane's chest to steady herself, raised herself up a few inches so Jane could slip her hand between them.

"What do I-"

"Home field advantage, remember?" Maura interrupted breathlessly, reminding Jane that their anatomies were similar and she had no reason to be nervous.

"Right," Jane said, moving her hand to cup Maura's entire mound, her palm resting against a swollen clit as her middle finger began to explore her folds.

"Please don't tease," Maura sighed as she felt a single finger running through her folds.

Taking one last calming breath, Jane plunged her middle finger into Maura and was met with a dreamy smile and a soft moan. Maura's reaction spurred her on and she began to move her finger in and out, making sure to press on Maura's clit with each movement.

"Do you want more?" Jane asked with a smile.

"Yes!" Maura gasped, instantly being filled even more as Jane added a second finger to her thrusts. "Oh, Jane," she moaned as she began to move her hips in time with Jane's thrusts, her body already dangerously close to the edge.

"What do you need, Maura?" Jane asked, her right hand leaving Maura's breast to cup her firm ass, using it to help guide and add power to Maura's movements against her fingers.

"Don't stop," Maura instructed as she moved both of her hands up to pinch at her nipples, her head tilting upwards as she worked with Jane to bring her to orgasm. "Please, just don't stop," she begged.

"Never," Jane promised. "I'll never stop doing this with you. Never stop making you moan and scream," Jane encouraged.

"Fuck!" Maura moaned, drawing the word out as she felt her extremities begin to tingle in the way they did before a particularly powerful climax. The type of climax she hadn't felt in far too long.

"Maura," Jane said, hoping to catch the attention of her girlfriend before she flew over the edge. "Maura, look at me," she instructed as she felt the blonde's movements grow more frantic and her moans grew more frequent.

Maura moved her head from being tilted up towards the ceiling to look down at Jane, her hazel eyes dark with lust as she danced precariously on the edge.

"I will never stop loving you," Jane stated, her eyes locking with Maura's.

Maura's eyes widened as Jane's words acted as the final push she needed to fall into pleasurable oblivion. Her whole body exploded in pleasure, her hips never stopping as she sought to milk as much from her orgasm as possible. And while the orgasm coursing through her was powerful and seemingly endless, she forced her eyes to stay open and connected with Jane's until she could do nothing but slump down against Jane's chest, breathing heavily.

"No," she mumbled when she felt Jane begin to slowly pull her fingers out of Maura. "Please stay inside," she continued, still breathless. "Just a lil' bit longer," she finished.

"As long as you want," Jane replied, using her free hand to sweep Maura's hair off to one side before running her fingertips in what she hoped was a soothing manner over a slightly sweaty back.

"Forever," Maura said as she nuzzled against Jane's chest.

"As much as I love the feeling, I'm not sure me keeping my fingers inside of you forever would be too pleasurable in the long run," Jane chuckled.

"Pointdexter."

Jane chuckled, leaning her head down to place a gentle kiss on the crown of Maura's head. When she felt Maura's breathing on her chest return to normal, she slowly slipped her fingers from Maura, who promptly rolled off Jane to once again snuggle at her side.

When she opened her eyes, she was greeted by the image of Jane's fingers sliding out of her mouth, a content smile on her face.

"If I had any energy left, I would take you again because that is sexy," Maura stated as she watched Jane lick her lips of Maura's come.

"Maybe next time I could taste it…directly," Jane said, slightly bashful at what she was alluding to.

"I wouldn't say no to that," Maura smiled as she once again closed her eyes and began to memorize the scents, sounds, and feeling of the moment.

"Do we have to go to work tomorrow?" Jane asked as she wrapped her arm around Maura's shoulders to keep her close.

"Unfortunately, yes," Maura replied as she began to trace patterns on Jane's stomach. "But tomorrow is Friday and, if I'm not mistaken, you aren't on call this weekend. Which means there is a potential 48 hour time frame ahead of us to do nothing but be together."

"I like the sound of that," Jane grinned.

Maura simply smiled and continued to draw on Jane's stomach, her finger making steady patterns that soon had Jane chuckling.

"Are you ticklish?" Maura asked, her hand stopping abruptly as she pulled her head away a few inches to look at Jane.

"Not really," Jane smiled. "But I just realized you weren't just drawing random patterns on me. You're writing something."

"And?" Maura asked.

"And I love you, too."

* * *

When Maura's alarm clock began to go off the next morning, Jane was quick to reach over to the bedside table and shut it off before growing any louder. She kept her eyes closed but smiled as she felt Maura still tucked tightly against her side, an arm draped across her midsection and a leg tangled with Jane's. They had spent nearly an hour trading languid kisses and whispering softly before drifting to sleep, never wanting to leave the sanctuary of the bed.

When Maura didn't stir from the alarm clock or Jane's movements, Jane opened her eyes and blinked a few times, smiling widely when Maura came into focus.

Her blonde hair was sprawled behind her on the pillow, giving Jane an uninterrupted view of her face. A soft smile played on Maura's lips and her features were relaxed in both sleep and bliss. As she continued to sleep, Jane gave herself permission to gaze unabashedly at the wonder that was her girlfriend.

"I wanna wake up like this every day of my life," Jane whispered softly. "And I don't really care if you ask me to marry you or I ask you or we both just kinda agree to get married because this is how I wanna spend the rest of my life," she murmured.

Maura sighed happily in her sleep, as though her subconscious understood what Jane was whispering to her. Jane chuckled softly at Maura and pressed her lips to the crown of Maura's head.

"Maura," Jane said gently, using her fingertips to rake gently up and down Maura's skin. "Maura, it's time to get up," she continued. When Maura didn't stir, Jane moved her lips as close to Maura's ear as she could. "If you don't get up, I'll go get Jo and she can help me wake you up with doggie kisses."

"I prefer human kisses," Maura murmured, not moving from her position.

"Well, you could have human kisses if you woke up," Jane chuckled.

"I'm awake," Maura stated.

"Well, you're kinda burrowed against my neck so I can't kiss you," Jane smiled. "Which means I'm gonna have to go get Jo," she sighed dramatically as she made a move to roll from Maura's embrace.

"No," Maura instructed, her grip on Jane tightening. "I'm up and ready for a kiss," she said as she pulled her head away from Jane's neck, opening her eyes as she did so. "Good morning," she smiled as she caught Jane already staring at her.

"Yes, it is a very good morning," Jane smirked before pressing a gentle kiss to Maura's lips. "You are very adorable when you're sleeping," she noted. "You looked so happy and I didn't really wanna wake you up."

"You make me so happy," Maura complimented. "It's a new type of happiness that I think I could get used to."

"What do you mean a new type of happiness?"

"In other relationships, the happiness I felt was sudden and all consuming. It was a happiness I somehow knew would never last," Maura explained. "You know the feeling when you lean back too far in your chair at headquarters and you feel like you're about to fall backwards?"

"Yeah, and I have a mini heart attack every time," Jane laughed.

"Well, that mini heart attack is what my other happiness has felt like. I knew it would never last and I was in that constant state of anxiety as I waited to fall to the floor. But with you, I'm not terrified that this is going to end or that I'm about to fall to the floor. It's so refreshing and lovely."

"I love you," was all Jane could say.

"I love you, too," Maura smiled as she pressed a soft, lingering kiss to Jane's lips. "But we should get up. TJ is still with your mother so I was thinking of making chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast."

"For me or for my nephew?" Jane grinned.

"Both of you," Maura smiled as she sat up, the deep purple sheet they had covered themselves with falling to her waist as she stretched.

"You have 7 nanoseconds to cover yourself up before I pounce," Jane nearly growled as she took in Maura's bare chest.

Laughing, Maura slipped from her bed and walked towards the en-suite bathroom, her bare body on full display for the detective until she closed the door and turned the shower on.

Shaking her head, Jane rolled from the bed and went to Maura's dresser where she kept several of her clothes. She slid into a pair of basketball shorts and a t-shirt because, even though the distance to the guest bathroom was short, running into a wandering TJ or Angela while naked was not the way she wanted to start her day. Once in clothing, she made her way towards the guest bathroom with a permanent smile on her face.

Both women showered and performed their morning rituals without incident but when Jane walked back into Maura's room wearing nothing but a towel, Maura immediately stopped buttoning her blouse and looked up at the brunette.

"Maura," Jane warned as she saw the hungry way Maura's eyes ran over Jane's barely covered body.

"You stay on that side of the room," Maura instructed. "At least until you're clothed because if you come any closer, I won't be eating pancakes for breakfast and you will certainly have to shower again."

Jane smirked and, deciding to press her luck, took a step towards the other side of the room where Maura stood.

"Do not make me use your full name," Maura stated as she watched Jane take yet another step closer.

"I just need to get to the closet," Jane smiled as she gestured to the large closet. "My work clothes are hanging up in there, remember?"

"Sure," Maura said skeptically, certain that Jane was trying to torture her.

"You once said that I'd need to wear a blindfold once we had sex because I'd be undressing you with my mind anytime I saw you after that but it looks like you need the blindfold more than me," Jane chuckled as she slid past Maura, making sure to brush their bodies together.

Maura quickly grabbed Jane's hand and tugged, bringing their bodies crashing together as she attacked Jane's lips in a fierce kiss.

"I'd be okay with a blindfold," Maura breathed when she pulled away. "But for now I am going to go to the kitchen and you are only to join me when you are fully dressed."

"Yes, ma'am," Jane replied with a mock salute, causing Maura to laugh as she went down the stairs into her kitchen, TJ greeting her loudly enough for Jane to hear from the bedroom.

* * *

**So, there ya have it! The latest chapter! This fic is really just becoming a big ol' fluff ball but I still wanted to allude to the things that happened to them on the game show and past conversations they've had in this fic. That's why I brought in the idea of having the young photographer take their photos and such.**

**I know some of ya'll were hoping for some hot smutty sex and that might happen in the future chapters (I mean, Maura did say she'd wear a blindfold.) But, and this could be just me, I feel like Jane and Maura's first time could really be intimate and sensual, ya know?**

**Love to hear your thoughts**


	11. Chapter 11

**Ya'll are some of the best readers possible. Like, for real, I want to give a hug to every single of ya'll. Your positive reviews are mind blowing and the number of people who have reached out to me to show support for my personal struggles makes me all warm and fuzzy.**

**There won't be smutty stuff in every chapter but this chapter has some. I will try to remember to warn ya'll if a chapter has M rated stuff in case you prefer not to read that.**

**On with the show!**

* * *

Jane finally dressed in her standard suit, her button up a deep crimson shade, and dried her hair before jogging down the stairwell, laughing as she saw TJ sitting on the kitchen island as Maura listened to him happily talk about anything he could think of while she prepared pancakes.

"Nana said next year I could be a turtle for Halloween!" she heard TJ beam, bouncing excitedly at the idea.

"A turtle?" Maura asked, her smile wide as she looked at TJ.

"Yeah!"

"You'll be the most handsome turtle in the world," she complimented.

"And which turtle are you gonna be?" Jane asked, finally crossing into the kitchen to greet her nephew and girlfriend.

"Donatello!"

"What?" Maura laughed. "I admit I'm more familiar with tortoises than turtles but is there a famous turtle by the name of Donatello?"

"Oh, yeah," Jane grinned as she reached TJ and quickly reached to tickle his stomach. "Donatello is one of the most famous, most awesome turtles ever. Right, little buddy?"

"Right, big buddy!" TJ giggled. "He's my most favorite turtle."

"What species is he?" Maura asked, flipping the chocolate chip pancakes she had promised Jane.

"The teenage mutant ninja species," Jane explained.

"The what?" Maura asked, her brows furrowed in confusion.

"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!" TJ cheered. "They're the bestest heroes in the whole world! 'Cept you, Aunt Jay," he added the last part with a bashful smile.

"Well, next Halloween you can be one of the bestest heroes in the whole world," Jane grinned as she picked her nephew up and nuzzled her nose with his. "And maybe next time you come over you, Auntie Maura, and I can all watch some Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles together so she learns how cool they are."

"Yeah! You wanna watch the turtles with us, Auntie Mo-wa?" TJ asked.

"I would love to," Maura said, slightly hesitant at what show she was agreeing to watch. "The first round of pancakes are done so do you want to take TJ to the table?" she asked Jane, who nodded and walked to the dining room table with her nephew in her arms.

"You think Bass would wanna watch the turtles, too?" Jane asked as she sat TJ in a chair and smoothed his hair down. "Maybe Donatello is his long lost brother."

"Aunt Jay," TJ said with as much seriousness as a toddler could muster. "Bass is a tortoise."

Maura couldn't stop the burst of laughter that escaped her as she stepped out from behind the island and brought the platter of pancakes to the table.

Jane turned to look at Maura, intent on chastising her girlfriend for corrupting her nephew but as her eyes traveling up Maura's legs, exposed due to the black skirt Maura wore, she found herself unable to speak.

"Jane?" Maura asked when she noticed Jane's facial expression change without warning. "Jane, sweetie, is everything okay?" she asked nervously as she set the plate on the table and placed a gentle hand on the detective's shoulder.

"What? Oh, yeah," Jane said, shaking her head slightly. "I mean, other than the fact you're starting to turn my nephew into an encyclopedia, everything is great."

Before Maura could call Jane on her change in demeanor, Angela bustled into the main house with TJ's overnight bag.

"Good morning, la mia famiglia!" she greeted, effectively putting a halt to any conversations not appropriate for a toddler to hear.

* * *

"Jane, is something wrong with my wardrobe choice today?" Maura asked after Jane had come into her office for an update on the latest tests Maura had been running.

"What?" Jane asked, looking up from the report she had been skimming and furrowing her eyebrows.

"At breakfast this morning you looking at my skirt and your face changed into something that seemed to be both angry and sad," Maura pointed out. "And right now I am leaning against the front of my desk in what some could say is a suggestive manner but, instead of letting your eyes look up and down the length of my body as you usually do, you've looked only at my face. Which makes me wonder if this outfit is unpleasant for you to look at."

"No, your outfit is great," Jane complimented. "I love you in that blue color," she grinned as she gestured to Maura's silk blouse.

"Then why is it you all of a sudden seem to be avoiding looking at my body?" Maura asked, hating herself for the self-doubt she was feeling.

"I'm not-"

"Do you regret what we did last night?" Maura asked softly.

"Oh, Maura, no," Jane said, quickly setting the file down and crossing Maura's office to wrap Maura in a tight embrace. "I could never, even regret what we did last night," she murmured gently.

"I've had people regret sleeping with me in the past so it's okay if you do," Maura said sadly.

"No," Jane said as she pulled away slightly to look at Maura directly. "Those idiots from your past are stupid and I will never, ever regret sleeping with you."

"Then what is it?" Maura asked softly.

"This morning I was oogling you like I usually do," Jane said with a sly grin. "I was admiring your legs and I dunno why I didn't see it sooner but…I saw the scar."

"From the accident?" Maura asked. "I know you hated having to cut into my leg but that scar helped save my life," Maura tried to explain.

"No, not that scar," Jane said softly.

"Then which scar are you talking about?" Maura inquired.

"This one," Jane said, lowering herself to her knees in front of Maura and reaching out to gently touch the fading scar Rodger had inflicted upon Maura when he held a lighter under a serving fork until it was hot before pressing it to the doctor's shin until it cooled. "I have no idea why I'm just noticing it after all these weeks but…" she trailed off as she ran a finger over the distinct fork mark on the otherwise perfect skin. "You were in so much pain when he did this."

"Jane-"

"Don't even try to deny it because you'll break out in hives and I really hate seeing you sick," Jane interrupted as she stared at the scar. "'I'm not a religious man but some would say you ladies are going to burn in hell for your lifestyle,'" Jane said, repeating the words Rodger had said as he began to heat the fork. "'Maybe you'd like a little teaser of the burning you'll be doing after I kill you,'" she continued, her eyes closing at the memory of Maura choking back a sob as he pressed the red hot metal to Maura's skin, tears filling the doctor's eyes immediately.

"It did hurt," Maura whispered. "Both the burn and his words," Maura clarified. "But the pain has been overshadowed ten times over by the happiness you have brought me since our return to Boston. And the scar will soon be practically invisible thanks to the cream I've been using on it."

"I hate that you have scars because of me," Jane said softly as she rose to stand in front of Maura, still aware they were at work and her kneeling in front of the doctor could be misinterpreted.

"I do not have scars because of you," Maura stated firmly, grasping Jane's hands and lacing their fingers together. "I have scars because Charles Hoyt is a sociopath and because Rodger Wickersham was jaded by an ex-wife and because illegal frackers thought they could run us over to protect themselves."

"Well, all of those situations have one common denominator. Me."

"I do not have scars because of you," Maura repeated, her voice more firm than before. "Repeat after me. Maura does not have scars because of me."

Jane simply looked at Maura skeptically.

"Okay, let's try again. Repeat after me. Maura does not have scars because of me."

"Maura does not have scars because of me," Jane said begrudgingly.

"And Maura doesn't blame me for any scars or injuries acquired over the course of our friendship."

"And Maura doesn't blame me for any scars or injuries acquired over the course of our friendship," Jane parroted.

"I will eat a full serving of vegetables every night at dinner."

"Nope, that is where I draw the line," Jane said with a small smile.

"It was worth a shot," Maura grinned, shrugging her shoulders.

"It was worth a shot," Jane repeated, her soft smile growing.

"Jane, you don't have to keep repeating after me," Maura instructed.

"Jane, you don't have to keep repeating after me," the detective giggled.

"You are such-"

Maura's statement was cut off when Jane pressed a gentle kiss to her lips, silencing her in the best way possible.

"If you stopped talking and let me kiss you, then I wouldn't have to repeat after you," Jane teased when she pulled away.

"Well, feel free to stop me from talking by kissing me any time you want," Maura smiled.

"Okay," Jane smiled as she gave Maura a quick kiss. "I've gotta go cuz Frost and Korsak always think that I only come down here for pleasure, not for business. I'll come down when I'm ready to leave and we can make dinner at your place? Snuggle on the couch a lil bit?"

"Of course," Maura replied. "Go be the bestest hero in the whole world."

* * *

That evening, Maura sat sideways on her couch with Jane sitting in between her legs. Her arms were wrapped around the detective's midsection and her legs tangled with longer ones as Jane fiddled with Maura's tablet. Though Jane was often the big spoon, Maura loved being allowed to hold the brunette.

"When you finish what you're typing, I bookmarked Amanda Millicamp's photography blog if you'd like to see some of the photos she's taken," Maura smiled.

"Kay," Jane replied, engrossed in her work.

"I don't want to ask her to drive all the way to Boston, especially since she will be doing this free of charge, so I thought looking at her previous work could give us an idea of her favorite locations that are close to her before I called her," Maura explained, more so to herself than to Jane.

"Are you gonna play dress up with me for this photo shoot?" Jane asked, a smirk on her face.

"I might make a few suggestions so that we don't clash too much but I want you to feel comfortable," Maura replied as she pressed a kiss to Jane's neck.

"But I thought you said one of the reasons we got along so well is because we clashed," Jane teased as she handed Maura her tablet.

"What is this?" Maura asked, noticing that Jane had left something open on her tablet.

"It's a continuation of the list I started on the plane ride home from New York," Jane said with a shrug. "The one where I listed all the things I can give you."

_Lessons on the science behind blanket fort construction  
TLC when you're sick  
A brief history of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles  
Cuddles (in case I haven't mentioned that)  
Someone to play dress up with  
Safety  
Unconditional love  
Cookies inspired by a tortoise_

"You are amazing," Maura whispered in Jane's ear as she turned her tablet off and slid it to the table. "But I think you've forgotten one thing on the list," she smiled.

"And what is it I've forgotten?" Jane asked, not missing the seductive tone of Maura's voice.

"Mind blowing sex," Maura breathed as her hands slid from Jane's waist up to cup her breasts over Jane's t-shirt.

"Sweet Jesus," Jane groaned as she felt Maura's hands begin to gently knead her breasts. "My mother is in your guest house."

"She's out with Lieutenant Cavanaugh on a date," Maura explained as she quickly moved her hands to slide under Jane's t-shirt for closer contact with her breasts.

"Do not ever mention my boss and my mother together while trying to seduce me," Jane grumbled. "Dry me up like the Sahara Desert."

"Well, let's see if I can maybe dampen you up a bit," Maura whispered as she slid her hands under the band of Jane's bra to pinch rapidly stiffening nipples.

Jane allowed her head to lean back and rest on one of Maura's shoulders, eyes fluttering closed at Maura's touch.

"Last night you seemed to enjoy when I spoke to you," Maura said in between open mouthed kisses to Jane's neck. "I've been wondering if perhaps you simply wanted to hear my voice or maybe you were hoping you would hear me say naughty things to you."

"Both," Jane admitted.

"I never pegged you for the dirty talk type, detective."

"I'm not usually," Jane sighed. "But I get the feeling your dirty talk would be a hell of a lot better than the guys I've been with."

"Well, would you like to see if that feeling is correct?" Maura asked.

Jane nodded.

"Did you know that there were many nights throughout our friendship when I would lie in my bed and touch myself just like I'm touching you?" Maura said as she slid one hand away from Jane's breasts and down her stomach. "I would imagine that my hands were your hands as they ran all over my body, one staying at my breast while the other went lower and lower until…" Maura trailed off, her hand reaching the waistband of Jane's pajama pants.

"Until?" Jane asked, urging Maura to continue.

"Until I reached so much wetness," Maura smiled. "Even when we were simply friends, you could make me so much wetter than any other lover in my life. It used to surprise me but eventually I came to love the way my body reacted to the thought of you touching me. I always wondered if I got you as wet as you got me," Maura stated.

Jane hummed her acknowledgement, choosing to focus solely on the feeling of Maura touching her.

Maura slipped her hand under the waistband of red flannel and cotton underwear and was quickly met with thick wetness.

"It feels like you do get as wet for me as I get for you," Maura noted as she began to run her fingers through Jane's folds.

"Teasing isn't nice," Jane stated, a low moan slipping from her mouth as Maura quickly thrust two fingers inside of her.

"You feel so good," Maura praised. "Never in my wildest fantasies did you feel as good as the real thing," Maura said as she began to pump in and out of Jane.

Jane's hips began to rock in rhythm with Maura's fingers, trying to pull them deeper inside of her and communicate without words how good the blonde was making her feel.

"Maura," Jane groaned as she felt Maura add a third finger to her thrusts. "Feels so good."

"It feels so much better than good," Maura said as she sped her fingers up. "Feeling you wrapped around my fingers as I wrap you in my arms is something I will never get tired of."

"Close," Jane said as she felt the heel of Maura's hand brush her clit with each thrust inwards.

Maura didn't need the warning as she felt the inner walls wrapped around her fingers begin to contract, forcing her to move her fingers in a more 'come here' motion versus in and out due to the tightness.

"Come for me," Maura whispered in Jane's ear as she nibbled the lobe. "Come all over my hand, Jane."

And she did.

Moaning Maura's name, Jane's back arched as her orgasm washed over her, forcing Maura's fingers just a bit deeper inside of her and prolonging the pleasure as her body shuddered. Though she and Maura has only been intimate once before, Jane already found herself overcoming the anxiety she once had over climaxing with others.

"Shit," Jane breathed when she felt Maura's fingers slide out. "Are you the best at everything you do?"

"Not everything," Maura murmured as she nuzzled into the side of Jane's neck. "But making love to the woman I love might be one of the things I am, in fact, the best at."

"No might about it," Jane chuckled as she felt Maura's hand come to rest just above her mound. "You are definitely the best at that."

"And that's only the second time we've been intimate," Maura said with a smile. "It'll only get better from here."

"I cannot wait for that," Jane said as she felt Maura's arm, which had left her breast and was now relaxed across her midsection, squeeze her affectionately. "Did you want me to reciprocate?"

"No," Maura said, shaking her head softly. "I'm more than content just to sit here with you in my arms and relax until Monday morning when we absolutely have to go to work."

"Can we build the blanket fort?" Jane asked with a grin. "I was thinking of going to my place to grab some of Jo's toys, a few more clothes for work, and make sure my mail hasn't built up too much so I could grab all my pillows and blankets while there."

"That sounds like an excellent plan," Maura smiled. "Would you maybe like to go out for brunch tomorrow and then we can head to your place? Or you can always go out on your own if you wanted some time alone," Maura said, the last sentence added quickly.

"I'm down with going to brunch," Jane said as she turned her head to the side so she could face Maura. "Because when the other option is spending time with you, I will never want some alone time."

"Well, just know that you have the option," Maura said before pressing a gentle kiss to Jane's lips.

"Noted," Jane smiled when they pulled away. "But for now our options are cuddling while watching a movie or snuggling while watching television. I'll let you decide."

* * *

The next morning, Jane had leapt from Maura's bed, excited at the prospect of helping Maura build her first blanket fort. They had showered and set off for brunch, enjoying a laughter filled meal as Jane told Maura the stories of blanket fort building in the Rizzoli household when she was a child. When they reached Jane's apartment, Maura set about grabbing clothes for her girlfriend and toys for Jo as Jane scurried around the apartment, grabbing all the pillows from her bedroom, couch, and even the couch cushions before tossing her comforter and sheet in with the pillows. She then did the same when they made it back to Maura's house, emptying the doctor's linen closet of all blankets and sheets and yanking pillows from both bedrooms and anywhere else she saw a pillow.

"Where do we begin?" Maura asked as they stood in the middle of her living room, a giant pile of sheets, blankets, and pillows next to them.

"Well, we should decide where we want the makeshift cuddle surface to be and set that up so we're not trying to adjust a dozen pillows when the fort is up," Jane explained. "So, first question for you is where do you think would be the best option for our cuddle surface?"

Maura's eyes scanned her living room, looking at details in a new way. She knew the layout but now she was on a mission to ensure she made Jane proud with her blanket fort building skills.

"We could move the coffee table," Maura stated. "Push it to the side and maybe use it later but the center of the living room could be the main snuggle area."

"Good answer but you know that on exams you have to tell me why you chose that answer," Jane smiled.

"Well, that would mean the couch could be used to drape blankets over as well as something to lean up against. It would also mean we could attempt to drape blankets from the couch behind us, over the cuddle surface, and then affix them to the wall above the television for entertainment in the fort," Maura mused, looking at Jane hopefully.

"A+, Dr. isles," Jane smiled as she kissed her cheek.

With that, the two women began to work on building a large fort in the middle of Maura's living room, stopping occasionally to step back and admire their work or simply to exchange languid kisses with wandering hands. Jane often darted from the living room, returning with a barstool, her gun safe, or other random object for a purpose Maura would never have thought of.

Two hours and three collapses later, the women were crawling into the fort on their hands and knees and praying nothing toppled over on them.

"We did pretty good," Jane said as she sat cross legged on the rows of couch cushions topped with extra pillows that they deemed their cuddle surface and looked around the fort.

"It's rather cozy in here," Maura smiled as she sat across from Jane. "Safe, in a way," she added softly.

"Safe?" Jane asked.

"Yes," Maura said with a slight nod. "I know it's a temporary fort made out of blankets and held up with household items, but I feel safe in here. Like we're in a bubble protecting us from the outside world. No murderers, bigots, or pain can enter this fort," she explained shyly.

"I used to feel that way as a kid," Jane admitted. "Frankie and Tommy would be bored with the fort in a day but I always made Ma keep it up for at least a week. I'd scurry into the fort after a shit day at school or if I wanted to write in my journal or scream into my pillow and have my family pretend they didn't hear me."

"I wish I had known you as a child," Maura smiled.

"Come 'ere," Jane said as she laid down on their makeshift mattress and beckoned Maura over to her, pulling her close as Maura turned to lay on her side, an arm draping across Jane's midsection as Jane's arm wrapped around her shoulder. "I'll see if Ma can scrounge up some photos—which I don't do for anybody so feel special—but I'll paint a picture of little Jane Rizzoli for ya. My hair was even more of a rats nest than it is now because I thought brushing it was a waste of time if I only wore ponytails. I had one single eyebrow and was this little ball of angst all the time. I refused to wear any shoes other than blue Chucks and had perpetual grass stains on all my clothes."

"Your mother must have loved you so much," Maura laughed as she conjured up an image of a childhood Jane.

"God, no," Jane laughed. "I mean, she did love me and let me do my thing most of the time but I could always see in her face the hesitancy," Jane explained. "'Oh, my baby girl. My only daughter out horsing around with all those boys. I wish you wouldn't be so rough, Janie, but I suppose this means you can keep an eye on your brothers,'" Jane said in a perfect Angela impression.

"Does your mother have any sort of home videos?" Maura asked with a smile. "I think I would like to see any if she does."

"I'm sure she has a stash of them in the guest house," Jane said. "And I suppose that since I love you, I could let you see some. But why the sudden childhood thought process?"

"Like I said, this feels like a safe place," Maura said as she nuzzled her head against Jane's neck.

"Well, I hope you know that I'm a safe space," Jane said as she kissed Maura's forehead lightly. "Whenever you're with me, whether we're in a blanket fort or a car or the supermarket, I'm a safe space."

"I know," Maura smiled. "TJ asked me about my childhood as I was helping get him into his pajamas last night," Maura explained. "He asked what the best Halloween costume I ever wore was and I told him that I'd never celebrated Halloween before."

"Oh, Maura," Jane said gently, knowing that Maura's childhood was a sore subject for her.

"Do you know what he said when I told him I'd never celebrated Halloween?"

"What?"

"'Auntie Mo-wa, I'm gonna invite you to every holiday party Nana has so you never hafta look sad like you look right now,'" Maura said, quoting the small toddler. "And then he gave me a big kiss on the cheek."

"Even the littlest Rizzolis love you," Jane smiled. "And TJ is right. You're invited to every holiday party and family get togethers and we're all gonna make sure you make so many happy memories to replace the memories from your childhood."

"Thank you," Maura said gratefully.

"Can I ask if you've told your parents about us?" Jane asked tentatively. "You don't have to answer if you don't wanna taint the safe space of the fort."

"I haven't told them," Maura admitted. "But it has nothing to do with being ashamed or not proud to be with you, please understand that," she added quickly.

"I didn't think that at all," Jane soothed as she pressed a kiss to the side of Maura's head.

"Do you remember what it was like when we told everyone at dinner when we returned from New York?" Maura asked.

"You mean when my asshole father was, well, an asshole?"

"I was more so referring to everyone other than Frank," Maura said with a gentle smile as she began to trace idle patterns on Jane's midsection with her fingertip. "How your mother looked at us with such happiness in her eyes, how Lieutenant Cavanaugh and Vince offered their congratulations, and your brothers and Barry wolf whistled."

"I think Tommy asked if we were gonna make out in front of him," Jane laughed.

"He did," Maura smiled. "But my point is, everyone at that table was so happy for us. They showed so much support and love. But I know that when I tell my parents about us, that support and love won't be there. They'll smile, of course, but it will be fake and the congratulations will be obligatory. And even though I know those things will happen, I know that I'll still be disappointed."

"That's understandable," Jane said gently. "But when you do tell them, I promise to make sure there's a blanket fort for us to snuggle in and keep the hurt away."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Maura said as she pulled herself closer to Jane.

"Can you imagine your parents' faces if the first time they heard about us was when we send them a wedding invitation?"

"A wedding invitation?" Maura grinned. "You seem awfully sure that I'll be able to tolerate you for the rest of our lives."

"Tolerate me?" Jane gasped. "What do you mean tolerate me?!"

"I mean that-"

Maura's explanation was cut short as Jane used the arm not wrapped around her shoulders to reach over and begin to tickle Maura's sides, causing the blonde to laugh as she attempted to squirm away.

"Tell me you love me!" Jane demanded as she continued her assault on Maura's sides.

"Duress!" Maura said in between laughs. "Confessions under duress don't count!"

"Say you love me!" the detective laughed. "That you do more than tolerate me!"

"Jane!"

"That's not what I wanna hear," Jane said as Maura squirmed in her arms.

"I love you!" Maura cried out.

"Good," Jane grinned as she gave Maura one last tickle. "I love you, too."

"Just for that, I'm going to make sure that I propose to you before you propose to me," Maura huffed, although she resumed her position snuggled up against Jane's side.

Before Jane could respond, they heard the door from the guest house open and Angela call out.

Jane quickly placed a hand over Maura's mouth and moved to whisper in her ear.

"Don't engage in conversation and she'll leave us alone in our little bubble," Jane whispered.

"Oh, my goodness!" Angela gasped as she saw the large fort built in the living room. "You girls are too cute with your fort building on a Saturday afternoon."

Jane kept her hand over Maura's mouth as they listened to Angela talk to the fort, hoping she would leave soon.

"Oh, are you two not in that fort?" Angela said as she maneuvered through the kitchen. "I could have sworn I heard laughter but I must be getting old and hearing voices," she shrugged. "But, since my two girls are certainly not in that fort, I think I'll call my sister and tell her all about my date with Sean last night. Or maybe it would be my date this morning since Sean didn't leave until-"

"Maaaaaa," Jane groaned, taking her hand from over Maura's mouth. "No one wants to hear about your date with my boss."

"Ha! I knew you two were in there and ignoring me. Your own mother!"

"It was Jane's idea, Angela," Maura called out, earning a glare from Jane. "It was also Jane's idea that you show me some of her childhood photos!"

Seeing Jane's hands reach to tickle Maura once again, the doctor squirmed out of Jane's embrace and quickly scurried out of the fort to greet Angela, laughing as Jane chased after her.

* * *

**There ya have it! I'm trying to find a balance between, like, realistic conversations the two ladies would have and just straight up fluff. Ya know? I'm not sure how well that balance is being achieved but I'm trying. **

**Love to hear your thoughts and suggestions for future chapters!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Onwards with the fluffy goodness! Sorry it isn't longer!**

* * *

"Oh, my goodness," Maura laughed as Angela entered the main house later that night, a stack of old photo albums and a collection of DVDs in her arms.

"I had Jane's cousin Anthony put our home videos onto DVDs a last year so you can watch them in your fort and there are some great photos of Janie in these albums," Angela beamed as she deposited her load on the kitchen island where Jane and Maura stood.

"I wish I could say I hate you," Jane groaned as she eyed the DVDs and photo albums.

"You've never been shy about saying you hate me," Angela said as she raised an eyebrow at her daughter. "What's stopping you now?"

Jane simply flicked her eyes between her mother and Maura's smiling face as she began to flip through the photo albums, her eyes sparkling as she saw the photos of the three Rizzoli children taken in both candid and posed settings. Seeing her daughter's eye flicker towards Maura, Angela understood: _I can't hate you for making Maura smile that widely._

"Look at how much hair you had!" Maura gasped as she saw a photo of a just born Janewrapped in a pink blanket and nestled against an exhausted Angela in a hospital gown.

"She had more hair on her head than all the other babies in the hospital combined," Angela laughed.

"That was the last time I think ma got me to wear pink without me putting up a fight," Jane grinned.

"I think if I were to call the nurses who got you into that blanket, they'd tell me that you certainly did put up a fight as they wrapped you up," Angela stated.

"Probably," Jane shrugged. "That was my first Halloween," Jane smiled as she pointed to a photo of her in a bright orange onesie with a jack-o-lantern face on the front. "I wasn't even a year old so I couldn't actually celebrate or anything but Ma tells me I would try to grab for that onesie anytime I saw it."

"She did," Angela smiled.

Maura continued to flip through the first album, covering much of Jane's early years. Photos of her peering down at a baby Frankie in his blue blanket a few years later and a photo of both she and Frankie peering down at a baby Tommy. A young Jane perched on her father's shoulders with his much too large Red Sox hat on her head, a toothy grin directed at the camera. Posed in matching outfits with her siblings and parents on the stairwell for a family photo, one with smiles and one with Frankie in a headlock.

"You have so many photos," Maura murmured as she looked up to Jane.

"Yeah, well, the amount of photos that I'm actually in goes way down the deeper ya get into the books," Jane chuckled as she wrapped an arm around Maura's shoulders. "I swear I could sense a camera a mile away and made sure to get the hell away."

"She really did run away if she sensed someone was going to snap a photo," Angela smiled as she pointed to a photo of a blurred Jane clearly running away from a photo.

"Like a bat outta hell," Jane added.

"Are you going to be okay when we meet with Amanda to have those photos taken?" Maura asked, turning her head to speak softly to Jane.

"I'll be just fine," Jane promised as she pressed a soft kiss to Maura's forehead.

"Well, I'm gonna go shower and do some reading before bed," Angela smiled as she saw the two women return to flipping through the photos. "You keep the albums as long as you want. Make copies of any that you want."

"I certainly will," Maura grinned. "Thank you so much for bringing them over, Angela."

"Yeah, thank you soooooo much, ma," Jane said with an exaggerated eye roll.

"Goodnight, Jane," Angela said with a shake of her head. "And goodnight to you, Maura," she added before turning around to exit the main house.

"You feeling okay?" Jane asked gently once her mother was safely in the guest house.

"Mmhmm," Maura hummed as she ran her fingers over a photo of Jane squeezed in between her parents, all three mid-laughter with birthday hats on their heads.

"You think there's a lot of photos of me?" Jane asked with a smile. "Our kid is gonna have ten times this many photos by the time they're in pre-school."

Maura's head spun to meet Jane's smiling gaze.

"What? It's the truth. With my Ma, the guys at the station, plus my brothers who will probably do some weird photos, our kid will have so many embarrassing photos. It'll be awesome," Jane said with a wink.

"Sometimes I don't think it's possible for me to fall even more in love with you and then you have to go and say stuff like that," Maura said as she placed a gentle kiss to Jane's lips.

"Is that a good thing?" Jane asked.

"Very good thing," Maura praised. "I don't ever want to stop falling in love with you."

"I never wanna stop falling for you, either," Jane smiled, pressing one last quick kiss to Maura's lips. "I'm gonna run upstairs and shower. You wanna join me?" she asked with a waggle of her eyebrows.

"As tempting as that sounds, I'll have to take a rain check," Maura explained.

"Pretty please?" Jane asked, a pout on her face.

"Oh, hush," Maura grinned with a swat to Jane's shoulder. "We can christen my shower anytime but my first blanket fort won't be up forever," she smirked.

"I don't really need a shower," Jane said quickly.

"Go shower, Jane," Maura laughed. "I'll make some of that popcorn you love and we can watch a movie while snuggling."

"Snuggling means I'll shower super quick," Jane grinned as she pressed a quick kiss to Maura's lips before jogging up the stairs.

* * *

When Jane returned from showering and drying her hair, she pulled on a pair of sweats and made her way back downstairs where she was greeted by a familiar voice coming from the television. Pausing outside the fort, she listened closely.

"_Mama! Mama! We won!" a young Jane beamed as she scrambled towards her mother and the video camera in Angela's hands. "We're the best Little League team!" she proclaimed, jumpily happily in her uniform._

"_Oh, you are?" came Angela's voice from behind the camera. "Are you the best Little League team in the city? Or in the state?" she asked. _

"_In the whole state!" Jane shouted as she held the small trophy each individual team member was given up towards the camera._

"_That trophy is going to look so good on your dresser!"_

"_It's gonna look _great_, mama! And I'm gonna win even more trophies as I grow up!" Jane said as she brought the trophy back down and stared happily at it. "I'll win so many that you and daddy are gonna need a whole extra room just for my trophies! But this one will always be my most favorite cuz' it's my first one ever."_

"_We'll make sure to always take good care of your most favorite trophy," Angela promised her daughter. "Did you team decide if they wanted to go to get pizza for dinner or if they wanted to just go out for ice cream?"_

"_Coach Parker said he made reservations at Pizza Hut for everyone," Jane smiled. "But maybe after pizza, you and I can go get ice cream together? Coach says we should thank our parents for everything and I've got some allowance saved up so we can each get an ice cream cone!"_

"_With sprinkles?"_

"_Yeah!" _

"_Then you've got yourself a date, Janie," Angela laughed. "Give one last wave to the camera and we'll go meet your team at Pizza Hut!"_

_Jane waved at the camera with a grin before the screen cut to black, action returning to the screen a few seconds later. _

Quickly checking the date in the bottom of the screen, Maura noted this was from Jane's high school days.

"_Ma! Frankie! We did it!" an 18 year old Jane shouted as she ran towards the camera much like the previous video clip. "St. Catherine's won! We're state champs! And I hit the home run that made it happen!" she shouted as she grabbed Frankie in a hug and spun him around, laughing wildly with exhilaration. _

"_You were so amazing, Janie!" Angela praised. "Let's see the trophy!" she asked, prompting Jane to hold it close to the camera. _

"_You see the player on the top of the trophy?" Jane asked as she continued to hold up the individual trophy. "It's a girl! Like, the figure on top is a girl! I told coach last year that every single trophy I've ever won had a dude on the top and I guess he took it to someone high up and they made special trophies for the all-girls teams!"_

"_That's so cool," Angela smiled. "Is that one gonna replace your Little League trophy for your most favorite?" she teased. _

"_Nope," Jane laughed. "I mean, it's a close second but still second!"_

"_Now that Janie's proven to everyone that she's the best player in the world, can we please go get some dinner? I want some pizza and breadsticks!" Frankie whined. _

"_Coach didn't make any reservations for the team since he didn't wanna jinx anything or whatever so we can go wherever you guys want," Jane smiled as she looked between her brother and mother. "Did you wanna go for pizza, ma?"_

"_We always go for pizza after your big games," Angela pointed out.  
_

"_And…?" Jane asked with a grin._

"_And you better get your butt to the car so we beat the rush of people who are all craving pizza just like you two piglets," Angela laughed. _

"_I love you, ma," Jane said as she leaned around the camera to place a kiss to her mother's cheek. "Last one to the car has to buy ice cream!"_

_And with that, Jane and Frankie were running towards the Rizzoli family car as Angela recorded them from afar, her laughter ringing through as they attempted to sabotage each other's attempts at winning. _

Jane smiled at the memories before she moved towards the entrance of the fort and crawled in, immediately noticing Maura leaning against the front of the couch, her knees pulled up to her chest.

"Hey," Jane smiled as she mirrored Maura's pose.

"I don't think my mother has any sort of home videos of my youth," Maura said softly as she rested her head on Jane's shoulder and reached for her hand to lace their fingers together.

"You could always ask her if she does," Jane suggested tentatively.

Maura just shrugged.

Jane fished in the pocket of her sweatpants and pulled out her cellphone, using her free hand to unlock it and open the video recorder. Hitting the record button, she leaned away so Maura's profile was in the frame.

"And here we have the majestic Dr. Isles hiding from the brutal outside world in Fort Snuggleton," Jane narrated with a grin.

"What are you—Jane!" Maura laughed as she turned to see the phone aimed at her. "You're recording this, aren't you?"

"Maybe," Jane grinned as she winked at Maura from behind the camera. "Now say something special for your favorite camera woman."

"Ti amo," Maura smiled at the camera.

"Oohh, speaking Italian to me," Jane said. "You know how to make me weak in the knees."

"I know many ways to make you weak in the knees," Maura teased. "And if you put the camera down, then maybe I'll show you a few of those ways," she added with a seductive smirk.

"And the majestic Dr. Isles is now about to transform Fort Snuggleton into Fort Sexyton so this little home video is over and done," Jane narrated before ending the recording and tugging Maura towards her.

* * *

The next morning found both women snuggled under Maura's comforter, a tangled mess of naked arms and legs and hair. Maura couldn't stop her giggle as she heard Jo enter the fort and begin to sniff around the new area.

"Oh, hello there," Maura murmured when she cracked her eye open and saw Jo crouched just inches from her face. "Is it time for breakfast?" she asked the small dog with a smile.

When Jo let out a small yap, Maura's smile grew and she managed to extract herself from Jane's embrace, holding the deep purple blanket to her chest with one hand and patting her lap with the other. Jo immediately jumped into her lap and Maura began to pet her happily.

"Would you like to go for a walk around the block or would you like to play fetch in the back yard?" Maura said softly, tilting her head to the side as she pondered what Jo might prefer. "How about a few minutes of fetch so when Mama Jane wakes up she doesn't worry where we've run off to."

Knowing that the dog wouldn't respond, Maura turned and placed a kiss to Jane's forehead.

"I'm gonna feed Jo and take her out," she murmured in Jane's ear. "Be back soon," she added as she reached for the yoga pants she had tossed on the couch and Jane's too large hoodie, slipping into them before crawling out of the fort with Jo right behind her.

Maura quickly scooped Jo's food into her bowl and allowed the dog to greedily eat her breakfast as Maura stretched briefly, not trying to wake her body up too much because she planned to once again return to Jane's sleepy embrace after giving Jo her attention. She placed a few strawberries into a bowl next to Bass and gave his shell a few soft strokes as she waited for Jo. When Jo finished her breakfast, she scampered to the door leading to Maura's backyard and wagged her tail expectantly. Maura quickly grabbed the tennis ball she kept on a shelf and slid into the shoes she kept by the door, entering the chilly November air with the small dog.

Jane had heard Maura tell her she was leaving their fort but, after several long minutes without the doctor's return, Jane blindly fumbled for her own sweatpants and tank top, already knowing that Maura had her hoodie. She left the fort and was instantly greeted by Maura's laughter coming from the back yard.

Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Jane walked to the sliding glass door that led to Maura's back yard and smiled when she saw her girlfriend sitting on the back porch as she once again tossed the ball gently for Jo to chase after. When the small dog returned with the ball, she bounded into Maura's lap where she would deposit the ball before offering a few quick barks.

"You like it here, Jo?" Maura asked the dog. "You like running around the yard and playing with Mama Jane and I? I'll take that as a yes," she laughed when Jo let out a yap before curling up on her lap. "Maybe one day you and Mama Jane could stay here all the time with Bass and I."

"Don't tempt her with that idea," Jane said, making her presence known as she walked outside and sat next to Maura.

"I didn't know you were up," Maura said shyly.

"Well, you said you'd be back soon but you were taking too long and I got lonely. It looks like you like spending time with my dog more than you like spending time with me," she teased as she bumped Maura's shoulder with her own.

"Maybe," Maura grinned. "She certainly is more of a morning person than you are."

"Yeah, well, I don't have a witty comeback for that," Jane laughed.

"About what I was saying to Jo," Maura said as she turned her head to look at Jane. "I don't mean that we should move in together right now or even in the near future. But it is the logical next step and it's a step I would like us to consider taking eventually. If you're open to the idea."

"Come inside," Jane smiled. "Someone stole my sweatshirt so I'm about to turn into a popsicle, plus there's something I wanna show you," she explained as she stood up and offered her hand to Maura.

The doctor took her hand and, nudging Jo gently off her lap, allowed Jane to guide her back into the house.

"Go snuggle up in the fort and I'll grab what I wanna show you," Jane encouraged as she kissed Maura's chilly cheek.

"Hurry," Maura smiled. "I can't think of a better way to warm up than snuggling with you."

Chuckling, Jane jogged upstairs to Maura's bedroom as Maura made her way back into the fort, quickly disrobing before slipping under the covers. When Jane returned, she noticed Maura's clothes on the couch and quickly pulled her own clothes off.

"Come warm me up," Jane instructed as she beckoned Maura closer to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as Maura nuzzled against her side. "Here," she said once they were both comfortable. "It came in the mail that we grabbed from my place yesterday. Read it."

Maura accepted the envelope from Jane and, curiously looking at Jane briefly, slid the letter from the already opened envelope and quickly scanned it.

"Jane," Maura said when she finished the letter, turning to face the detective. "This is a letter saying your lease ends on December 31st," Maura pointed out.

"Yeah," Jane smiled. "Which means I can either renew the lease for another year or we could start the new year living together."

"Would you really be willing to move in with me so soon into our relationship?" Maura asked. "I would understand if you wanted to renew your lease and re-visit this idea at the end of next year."

"If you were serious about Jo and I moving in here, I don't know why we'd need to re-visit this," Jane said as she placed a finger under Maura's chin and brought their gazes together. "I don't wanna wait and I really don't think you want to, either."

"I want what you want," Maura said softly.

"Well, I'd really like a pony that I can communicate with telepathically," Jane grinned.

"Although not actual telepathy, there are studies that have shown-"

"Do not tell me anything about any studies about ponies and my ability to communicate with them because then I will make you go out and buy me one while I build a barn in your back yard. So unless you want that to happen, I'd derail that train of thought," Jane interrupted.

"Would you really like to move in with me?" Maura asked.

"If I thought it wasn't tacky, I would've asked if I could move in with you the minute you agreed to go on that date with me in New York," Jane confessed.

"I would have said yes," Maura smiled.

"Well, my time machine is out for repairs right now so unfortunately we can't go back to that moment but—Woah."

Jane laughed as Maura quickly threw a leg over her and rolled on top of her, sitting up so their pelvises were brushing and Jane had a perfect view of a bare torso.

"Move in with me," Maura smiled from above Jane. "I want this house to be ours. _Our_ house where we eat _our_ dinner before watching a movie on _our_ couch."

"And then go make sweet, sweet love in _our_ bed?"

"Of course," Maura replied.

"Then I would love to make this place ours."

* * *

**Aww, look at our little Rizzles. Growing up so fast and movin' in together.**

**Question for ya'll. I seriously only planned for this story to be, like, 7 or so chapters but it's basically becoming a big ol' marshmallow. My question is this: I have a few snippets of dialogue that have popped into my head that I actually really love—a Christmas scene, wedding proposal, a pregnant Maura scene, plus a few others. Would ya'll keep reading this if I followed the ladies through their dating time, a marriage, and a baby? Or would you prefer I cut it off sooner?**


	13. Chapter 13

**I love all the positive responses I've gotten to this story! Seriously, ya'll are amazing readers and I am so lucky.**

**This isn't exactly a long chapter, but there aren't many breaks so it just seems long. But I kinda like it.**

**Onwards and upwards!**

* * *

The next several days passed by in an exhausted blur for both Jane and Maura as well as their team. They had been pulled from their fort hours before their alarms were set to go off on Monday with a double homicide and were working long hours chasing any leads they found. Maura often times stayed late in the morgue, only to go upstairs to hear Jane tell her that she would be staying at the station a bit longer and she'd be home late.

Maura would sigh before offering Jane a gentle kiss on the cheek and a murmured "I love you. Give me a kiss when you come to bed." She would then make her way home and prepare a small dinner, texting Jane with what she made and reminding her that there was a serving for her in the fridge. Jo would keep her entertained as they played fetch or walked around the block with Angela and then Maura would watch television or read articles until curling into bed.

Jane would hitch a ride home from Frost, Korsak, or Frankie several hours later and immediately head into the bedroom, stripping down to her underwear and sliding in to wrap her arms around Maura and place a kiss to her shoulder, neck, or wherever else she could. Maura would sigh happily and press her body closer to Jane while murmuring "Love you."

But on Thursday when Maura came up to the squad room, Maura gently tugged on Jane's hand and brought her into a secluded hallway.

"Please come home with me tonight," Maura asked gently as she held both of Jane's hands in her own.

"Maura, this case is driving us all crazy. Whoever did this is still out there and he killed a woman who you tell us was 9 weeks pregnant and her daughter," Jane sighed. "I have to keep looking for some sort of lead."

"Jane," Maura said. "You've been looking almost non-stop. Staying here until nearly midnight, not eating the dinners I save for you, skipping your lunch hour to work. Come home and let me make you a nice meal and give you a massage or draw a hot bath. I've hardly seen you these past four days."

"I'm needed here," Jane tried to protest.

Maura let Jane's hands drop from hers and gave the detective a sad smile.

"Please eat when you get home," Maura smiled weakly as she pressed her customary kiss to Jane's cheek. In lieu of her usual declaration of love, she murmured something else in Jane's ear. "And please try to remember that you're needed other places as well."

"Shit," Jane sighed, quickly grabbing Maura's hand before she could fully walk away. "Maura, I'm sorry," she apologized as she saw the loneliness in her girlfriend's eyes. "I'm still trying to get used to not being a workaholic and having someone who actually wants to spend time with me. I suck and I'm sorry."

"You don't suck," Maura said with a smile. "You love your job and desire justice more than anyone I've ever met."

"But I also love you and desire some snuggle time," Jane replied as she squeezed Maura's hand. "Let me tell the guys I'm callin' it a night and we can leave."

"I don't want you to feel like I'm guilt tripping you into leaving," Maura said.

"You're not," Jane promised. "And even if you were, that's a good thing. I think we both need some together time. So let's go let the guys know we're heading out."

"Thank you," Maura smiled as she squeezed Jane's hand and walked with her to the squad room.

They left the station with their hands still entwined, only breaking when they entered separate sides of the car and immediately returning to each other when Maura began to drive them home.

When they reached the house that would soon become both of theirs, Jane noticed a small cardboard box sitting on the front porch and smiled.

"What did you order this time?" she teased gently as they walked up towards the package.

"I haven't ordered anything," Maura laughed as she knelt to pick up the package, her eyebrows furrowing as she looked at the return address.

"Well?" Jane asked.

"It's from Paris," Maura stated as she turned to look at Jane. "More specifically, my parent's flat in Paris."

"I swear that if I forgot your birthday, I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you," Jane promised as she pulled her own key from her pocket to open the front door and enter the house.

"You haven't forgotten my birthday," Maura laughed as she followed Jane into the house. "I have no idea what my parents could have sent me," she sighed as she set the package on the kitchen island.

"Well, why don't you open the package and find out?" Jane asked.

"I'm going to change into something more comfortable first," Maura stated. "You should, too," she encouraged before heading towards her bedroom with Jane quickly following. She changed into a pair of black yoga pants and Jane's old academy shirt while Jane tugged on her red flannel pajama pants and Red Sox t-shirt.

"What would you like for dinner?" Maura asked when they reached the kitchen.

"Let's order something," Jane suggested as she wrapped her arms around Maura from behind. "You've been cooking me dinners all week—which I'll start bringing to the station for lunches so they don't go to waste, by the way—so you should relax just like I'm gonna relax."

"I like that idea," Maura smiled as she relaxed against Jane. "I've missed you," she admitted.

"I've missed you, too," Jane sighed. "And I promise that I'll get better at not working myself to the bone and neglecting you," she said as she pressed a kiss to Maura's neck.

"Thank you," Maura sighed happily. "Does ordering Greek for dinner sound okay?"

"As long as it's from that Sheshco places with the giant gyros and you promise not to hog the hummus," Jane smiled.

"I make no promises," Maura teased.

"I'll just have to make sure we get two orders of hummus then," Jane smiled. "I'll call them if you wanna get settled on the couch."

"Okay," Maura smiled as she turned to face Jane. "But first…" she trailed off as she pressed a deep kiss to Jane's lips, arms wrapping around her shoulders to hold the detective close to her. Jane's hands pulled Maura flush against her via her hips and happily allow Maura's tongue entrance when it touched her lips.

"God, I've missed kissing you like that," Jane breathed when they separated.

"Me, too," Maura smiled before pecking Jane's lips softly. "Sheshco should have my credit card information on file but you know where it is if they don't," she said as she pulled away and moved to the couch, the fort having been taken down the previous night as it drooped dangerously.

Maura settled on the couch as she listened to Jane place their order, already knowing what Maura wanted and quickly ending the call.

"They said it'll be about 25 minutes," Jane said as she picked up the package and brought it to Maura, settling down on the couch next to her girlfriend. "Which is plenty of time to open whatever it is your parents sent you."

Nervously, Maura accepted the package and pulled open the small box, pulling out two letters that were nestled on top of bubble wrapped items. Wordlessly, she opened the first letter and immediately recognized her father's handwriting.

_Maura,  
I deeply regret the distance that seems to have always existed between us. You were always so independent and I suppose that I mistook that for you not wanting or needing my affection. But, my darling daughter, you are such a point of pride for me. Just the other day I was boasting about you to a colleague. I showed him the section of my study reserved for your publishings and he was speechless. But more than your academics, you make me so proud with your curiosity, passion for seeking out the truth, along with your compassion and empathy.  
You have become such a wonderful woman and I very much wish to spend time with you to make up for the years of memories I have missed out on. You can choose anywhere in the world and we will go there together.  
All the best,  
Your Father_

"Is everything okay?" Jane asked when she noticed Maura's eyes grow misty.

"Yes," Maura nodded. "I'm just a bit confused as to why my father is writing me such a kind letter," she said as she handed the letter to Jane for her to read.

"Maybe your mother will explain why in her letter?" Jane asked as she pointed to the other envelope in Maura's lap.

"I hope so," Maura said softly as she opened her mother's letter and began to read.

_Darling Maura,  
I know that perhaps the relationship between you and I has never been what you've wanted it to be and I hope that you know how deeply your father and I love you. We may not show it as much or as honestly as we should but it is true that we do love you and are so, so proud of the woman you are. And while our first few encounters were less than ideal, I am so glad that you have someone like Detective Rizzoli in your life who will advocate for you and isn't afraid to tell me the truth.  
As per Detective Rizzoli's request, I have included in this package two discs that contain scanned photos from your childhood and journey into adulthood. I did not trust the original photos in the mail but if there are any photos you would like the originals to, let me know and I will bring them on my next visit. I also had someone here in Paris convert a few videos your childhood nanny recorded onto discs for you to watch. I am certain that the Rizzolis have far more videos than we do, but it is my hope that you enjoy what we are able to give you.  
Please let your father and I know if you would like to come visit us for an escape from Boston. Or perhaps let us know if you would like us to come visit you for an escape from Paris. Maybe on one of those visits the three of us can sit and reminisce about the years that have gone by.  
Your Mother_

Maura turned to look up at Jane, a sheepish smile on the detective's face as she held Maura's tablet in her hands, having reached onto the coffee table where it sat while Maura read her mother's letter.

"You had something to do with this," Maura stated.

"Yeah," Jane confirmed. "Here," she said as she handed Maura the tablet, which Jane had used to open up her e-mail. "You can read what I wrote if you want."

_Dear Mr. and Mrs. Isles,  
I hope that this e-mail finds you both in good health and in good spirits. I know that you enjoy traveling the world for both business and pleasure so I hope e-mailing you instead of writing a letter is acceptable.  
As you know, Maura is my best friend and someone who has become an honorary member of the Rizzoli family from the very first Sunday dinner she attended so many years ago. Because she is such an integral part of my life, I was showing her some of my childhood photos and home videos the other day as we enjoyed a rare weekend off work. It was after seeing the number of photo albums my mother has kept and watching a few home videos that Maura confided me in she didn't think either of you had anything like that of her childhood. And although she didn't say as much, I saw in her eyes how sad that made her and how she doubts if she ever will feel like a loved member of the Isles family.  
It is because of that sadness in my best friend's eyes that I write this e-mail. If you have any photos or videos of Maura's childhood (or any at all), I think she would love to see them. I know she would, actually.  
Your daughter is the most beautiful, compassionate, intelligent, spectacular human being on this planet and I hope that one day you can see that.  
Sincerely,  
Detective Jane Rizzoli_

"Jane," Maura said, her voice threatening to crack as she felt her misty eyes well with tears at what Jane had done.

"Please don't hate me," Jane begged. "I just thought…I wanted to do something special for you and I remember that you said in New York how the idea of being a couple isn't to be with someone who can give you what you can give yourself but to be with someone who can give you what you can't give yourself. And since I know talking to your parents and stuff is something you don't really feel comfortable doing, I thought that maybe…" she trailed off. "I thought maybe you'd like it."

"I love it," Maura replied honestly as she set the tablet down and threw her arms around Jane's shoulders. "And I love you," she murmured as she buried her head in the crook of a tan neck.

"I love you, too," Jane whispered as she held Maura tightly to her. "I want to give you everything you could ever want in the world and if that means covertly contacting your parents, I'll do it."

"You have been working so hard this week," Maura stated as she pulled away to look directly at Jane's face. "How on Earth did you arrange this?"

"I just sent them the e-mail," Jane said with a shrug. "It's not like it took me hours to write or flew to their doorstep or anything."

Maura opened her mouth to reply, only to close it and repeat the same action a few times before finally settling on speaking the truth.

"I have no idea what to say," she admitted.

"Well, your mouth does have other uses besides talking," Jane teased, earning a deep kiss from the doctor. Maura's hand slid to the nape of Jane's neck, holding them close as their tongues slid against each other until both were dizzy with emotion and oxygen loss. Maura was smiling when they separated and Jane quickly placed a kiss to the doctor's dimple.

"I'm tempted to ignore what my parents sent me and drag you upstairs," Maura stated.

"I'm tempted to do that, too," Jane smiled. "But let's check out the photos, eat our dinner when it arrives, and then see if we're still in the ravishing mood."

"If you insist," Maura sighed dramatically. "I'll grab my laptop from my purse. Would you like a beer while I'm up?"

"Sure," Jane nodded as she watched Maura walk into the kitchen to grab a beer before grabbing her laptop and returning to the couch. Jane relaxed with her legs propped on the coffee table in front of her while Maura tucked her legs underneath her and relaxed against Jane's side, using the detective's lap as a table.

Maura pulled the first CD from the bubble wrapping and slid it into her laptop, feeling oddly nervous as what she would be on the disc. When the computer prompted her, she selected the slideshow option and photos began to display on the screen for several seconds before changing.

"Oh, my gosh," Maura breathed when the first photo displayed a much younger Constance holding a small infant in her arms that looked no more than a week old. Constance was looking down at Maura, swaddled in a blanket, with a look of awe on her face.

Jane simply wrapped an arm around Maura's shoulders and held her tightly.

A photo with her father was next as he sat in a rocking chair she was certain her parents still owned, burping Maura with a gentle smile.

The next handful were more candid shots of an infant Maura with one or both of her parents, followed by several photos that appeared to be done by a professional when Maura appeared to be a year old. There number of photos certainly wasn't near the number of Rizzoli photos, but Maura couldn't stop her heart from fluttering with each new photo displayed.

The photos that came later were taken across the globe when Maura would return from boarding school to visit her parents wherever they were. A pre-teen Maura standing in front of the Eifel Tower, a teenage Maura at the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and another at the Sydney Opera House. Professional portraits taken at her high school, college, and med school graduations were displayed before more informal photos of her in her graduation robes with her parents.

The slideshow ended and Maura stared at the black screen of her laptop silently.

"Are you okay?" Jane asked after several minutes of silence.

"Yes," Maura said with a nod. "I only wish it wasn't midnight in Paris so I could call my parents to thank them."

"You can call them tomorrow morning before work, even if just for a little bit. Right?"

"I can," Maura replied. "I think I'd like to see at least what sort of videos my mother had put onto the disc," she added as she turned to face Jane, silently asking if that was okay.

"I definitely wanna hear what little Maura sounded like," Jane smiled as she pressed a kiss to Maura's forehead before grabbing the DVD and switching discs.

_The video began with a 5 year old Maura sitting in her father's large chair in their spacious library, oblivious to whoever was recording as she turned the pages of a book. _

"_Little Miss Maura," a gentle voice called from behind the camera, prompting Maura to lift her head and smile widely. _

"_Vivie!" the small child beamed as she brushed a curl from her eyes. "I'm readin' Where The Sidewalk Ends. You want to come sit with me and I can read to you?"_

"_Well, I'm not sure," the voice said sadly. "I'm sure now that you're officially five years old, you must be a very busy young lady."_

"_I'm not _that_ busy," Maura smiled shyly at her nanny's teasing. _

"_Well, that's a relief!" the woman chuckled. "But now that you're five, I don't know what to call you. You're not Little Miss Maura anymore. You're getting so big!"_

"_I'll always be your Little Miss Maura, Vivie!" Maura giggled. _

"_I'm glad because this present I have in my other hand is addressed to a Little Miss Maura and I would absolutely hate to not be able to give it to you…"_

"_A present?" Maura asked, eyes widening as she saw a box wrapped in colorful paper with a large bow on it. She was used to receiving gifts without wrapping paper or embellishments and seeing the decorated gift made her smile grow. "Vivie, it's so colorful!" she exclaimed as she slid from the large chair and darted to accept the package from her nanny. _

"_I thought you would like it," the woman smiled. "Go ahead and open it, sweetie."_

_Maura knelt down and set the medium sized box down in front of her, tentatively peeling away the colorful paper before opening the box and pulling out a large wall tapestry embroidered with an antique map of the world. The camera seemed to be set down on a shelf and the middle aged woman who was Maura's nanny came to kneel in front of a wide eyed Maura. _

"_Vivie, this is so pretty!" Maura exclaimed._

"_I'm glad you like it," Vivian smiled as she helped Maura lay the tapestry flat on the floor. It was large enough to cover an entire wall and both women ran their hands over the fabric. "The world is a very big place and I never want you to forget how big it is. I want you to always see this hanging up on your wall and remember that you can go anywhere you want. Point your finger at any place on this map and you can go there. I promise."_

"_Oh, Vivie!" Maura smiled as she threw her arms around her nanny and hugged her tightly. _

_Maura's head suddenly perked up as she heard the front door to the house open. _

"_Mother and father are home!" she grinned as she looked at her nanny. "They made it back to see me on my birthday!"_

"_Of course they did, Little Miss Maura," Vivian smiled. _

"_I'm gonna show them my gift!" Maura stated as she jumped to her feet and gathered the large tapestry in her tiny arms, the fabric spilling over her arms as she ran from the study to greet her parents. _

_Vivian's laugh could be heard as she rose to her feet and picked the camera up, keeping it recording as she walked down to the foyer to see Maura spreading the tapestry out on the large dining room table, standing on her tiptoes to watch her father point to Ghana, where the couple had been for the past 10 days. _

"_Hello, Vivian," Constance greeted. _

"_Hello, ma'am," Vivian replied. "I do hope it's okay that I've recorded Maura opening her gift and her greeting you and Mr. Isles."_

"_Yes, it's fine," Constance replied. "She's not going to be this young forever so it will be nice to have something to look back on as she grows old and no longer needs us," she added with a chuckle._

"_Little Miss Maura will always need you," Vivian promised, just before Maura scurried over to take her mother's hand and pull her towards the large tapestry, standing between her parents as they pointed out all the places they had visited and where they promised to bring Maura in the future. _

Jane turned her head to look down at Maura who had rested her head on Jane's shoulder.

"Do you wanna watch another video?" Jane asked when the disc returned to the main menu where they could choose from a handful of other videos.

"I don't know if I can," Maura admitted. "This is just…It's so much," she admitted. "It's wonderful and absolutely thrilling to see this but I'm not sure I can watch another after seeing the photos and this video."

"That makes sense," Jane agreed.

"I still have the tapestry," Maura said softly. "As well as the book of African poetry my father brought back and the necklace my mother gave to me."

"Can I see them?" Jane asked.

Nodding, Maura closed her laptop and set it on the coffee table before taking Jane's hand and walking with her to the bedroom.

* * *

The next morning, Maura felt the same butterflies she always felt before calling her parents, though Jane's smile from next to her at the kitchen island eased the fear.

"Bounjour," Constance greeted as she answered the phone.

"Hello, mother," Maura said with a smile.

"Maura! Oh, darling, what a surprise it is to hear from you," the elder Isles smiled. "I trust that you have received the package your father and I sent you?"

"I received it yesterday evening," Maura confirmed. "I wanted to call you right after reading the letters and looking at the photos but it would have been rude to call in the middle of the night."

"Perhaps it would have been rude, but it would be welcome none the less. Your father and I always love to hear what you're up to," Constance said.

"I would love to take you and father up on your offers to hear what I'm up to in person," Maura said nervously. "With the holidays coming up, it will be hard to take much time off from work but perhaps after the holiday season I could come visit you both."

"Or your father and I could easily come to Boston for a trip," Constance reminded her daughter.

"Perhaps both could be arranged?" Maura asked.

"That would be lovely, dear."

"I don't want to keep you from your busy schedule but-"

"Oh, nonsense," Constance interrupted. "You're not keeping me from anything. And even if you were, I prefer your conversation to whatever else I could be doing."

Jane saw Maura's smile and, to show her support, offered her thigh a reassuring squeeze.

"Is father there?" Maura asked.

"Yes, he is. Would you like to speak with him?"

"Actually, I was wondering if I could speak to you both," Maura clarified.

"Of course, let me go down to his study and we'll put you on speaker," Constance said as she rose to her feet and walked to her husband's study, quickly explaining to her husband that Maura had called and wished to talk to them.

"Maura!" Richard greeted once they were on speakerphone.

"Hello, father," Maura smiled as she heard her father's booming voice. "It is so wonderful to hear your voice," she said honestly.

"You as well, darling. Now, you said you'd like to speak with both your mother and I at the same time?" he asked. "Is everything alright?"

"Everything is perfect, father," Maura reassured her parents. "I have a bit of wonderful news to share with you both."

"And what is that news?" Constance asked.

"I'm in love," Maura said confidently as she placed her hand on top of Jane's on her thigh. "And they love me just as much as I love them."

"Oh, Maura," Richard smiled as he heard the happiness and confidence in his daughter's voice. "You sound so happy! I bet if your mother and I were in Boston, we'd see you smiling wider than ever before."

"That is quite possible," Maura chuckled.

"Now, I know you don't like to guess, but I have no qualms about guessing," Constance smiled. "And I am going to guess that the person you're in love with is your Detective Rizzoli."

"Yes," Maura confirmed, slightly caught off guard by her mother's smiling tone of voice. "Jane and I went to New York City a short while ago for a weekend trip and while there we were able to discuss our feelings for each other. She took me on a lovely date to see Wicked on Broadway and, well, we plan to be together for as long as time allows."

Though Maura predicted that her parents would offer emotionless congratulations and well wishes when revealing her relationship with Jane, she could not have been more wrong as her parents offered what sounded like genuine congratulations and positive wishes to her and Jane.

"I'm so glad you both are accepting of Jane and I's relationship," Maura said honestly. "It means the world to me. To _us,_" she said as she looked at Jane with a wide smile.

"I've never met your detective but from what I've heard, she's a loyal and fierce person. Someone whose love for you will run as endless as her love for justice," Richard said with a smile.

"And I have met her," Constance chuckled as she remembered the first few times she'd met Jane. "She's a perfect match for you, darling. She makes you happy and that's all your father and I want for you."

"Thank you," Maura said, swallowing the lump in her throat. "I'd love for the four of us to spend time together next time we're all in the same city."

"We'd love that, too," Richard replied.

"Jane and I actually have to head out to work but…" Maura trailed off. "But maybe we could plan another time to talk? I'd love to hear more about what you both have been up to."

"Let us know when you're available and we'll be waiting by the phone," Richard promised.

"Give Detective Rizzoli our best," Constance smiled. "We'll speak soon."

"Wait!" Maura said, sensing her parents would soon be hanging up. "The video you sent me. The one with Vivian on my fifth birthday. What she said to you at the end was right," Maura said gently. "I'll always need you."

* * *

**So, less Maura/Jane stuff in here and more Maura/Constance/Richard (also, not sure if the show has ever mentioned Mr. isles so I usually just call him Richard cuz that sounds legit) but I couldn't just ignore Maura's parents. Some people write them as horrible people and, while I can see that, I also kinda like writing them as people who screwed up in the past and are willing to try to improve.**

**Love to hear your thoughts!**


	14. Chapter 14

**I'm so sorry this has taken so long to get up! I had about half of this written and then poof! The document disappeared from my computer. Like, it was there and saved and when I opened my laptop after work, it was gone!**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter, which does feature some sexy times. In case any of ya'll wanna skip that, it's the first section. It's really just gratuitous sex.**

* * *

"Maura, I know you said you'd be cool with wearing a blindfold but I'm not so sure how I feel about wearing one."

"Oh, hush," Maura laughed as she continued to guide a blindfolded Jane down into her basement. "We're almost to the surprise."

"Is it the underground lair where you keep the bodies of the men you slay?" Jane asked with a grin. "Cuz I think you going all Black Widow and stuff is kinda hot but I really don't want to have to arrest you again."

"I can assure you that you'll never find the bodies of anyone I have ever slayed," Maura teased.

It had been just over a week since receiving the package from Maura's parents and Jane had been working on finding a better balance between work and time with Maura. Though she did occasionally skip lunch or focus on a case instead of the movie Maura suggested they watch, both women were loving the balance.

"Are we there yet?" Jane whined.

"Almost," Maura smiled as she opened a door to a large room and guided Jane into it. "Alright, we're here. You can take the blindfold off."

Jane eagerly yanked the blindfold off and allowed her eyes to take in the room Maura had guided her into. It was a large room with walls painted a sky blue color. On the far wall there were several large mirrors that reflected the sight of an expansive free weight set. The left wall housed a speaker system and a treadmill while the right wall housed the human shaped punching bag Korsak and Frost had given Jane.

"Maura," Jane breathed as she finished taking in the room.

"Surprise," Maura said shyly as she wrapped an arm around Jane's midsection, standing next to her. "I wanted you to have a special place just for you in our home. A place you can go to let of steam or just listen to music that I will not enter without your permission."

"You did this for me?" Jane asked. "Like, you didn't already have the room set up and just added my punching dummy to call it mine?"

"This room was completely empty and white walled," Maura smiled. "I suppose a more traditional man cave would be more appropriate but I don't have a room large enough to fit a sizable entertainment system, plus a foosball table, plus a large couch. We can add more workout equipment since I wasn't sure which pieces you prefer. I hope you like this, though."

"You did this for me," Jane repeated, though this time as a statement and not a question.

"I did," Maura confirmed.

Maura couldn't stop the gasp of surprise she let out when Jane quickly pressed their lips together for a frantic kiss. Jane's hands tangled in Maura's hair as her tongue immediately slid into Maura's mouth and, after a moment of shock, Maura's hands wrapped around Jane's waist and held their bodies tightly together.

Jane's hands slid down to tug at the zipper at the back of the dress Maura hadn't yet changed out of. Once it was down as far as it could go, Jane pushed the shoulders down eagerly until gravity took over and the garment fell to the floor.

"Jane," Maura gasped as she felt strong hands slip in between their bodies and run up to begin gentle ministrations on her breasts. "We should go—oh, upstairs," she managed to say.

"Nope," Jane grinned as she began to kiss her way down Maura's neck. "What better way to christen this room than by doing this?" she asked.

Maura didn't have time to respond before she saw Jane drop to her knees and place gentle kisses along the waistband of Maura's panties.

"Sweetie," Maura said gently as she tilted her head to look down at Jane, stifling a moan as she saw those dark curls between her legs. "You don't have to do this," she smiled as she ran her hands through the top of Jane's hair. Though they had been intimate, a time hadn't yet arisen for Jane to perform orally on Maura and the doctor wanted Jane to know she didn't have to if she wasn't sure.

"I wanna do this," Jane smirked as she pulled nude colored lace down to Maura's ankles, helping the blonde step out of them before returning her attention to the thick wetness at her eye level. She leaned in closely and inhaled deeply. "Shit, you smell so good."

Maura made a sound of acknowledgement, her eyes fluttering closed as she anticipated Jane's first touch.

"Maura," Jane said reverently, prompting Maura to open her eyes and look down at Jane, their gazes locking. "This room means more to me than you know. Thank you."

And with that, Jane made a broad and firm lick from Maura's opening to her clit, using the tip of her tongue to swirl around the hard nub before repeating the motion of a firm lick and a teasing circle.

Maura moaned as she felt Jane's mouth covering her, not realizing how much she had been looking forward to this until that very moment. Her hands tightened slightly in Jane's curls as she subconsciously held Jane's mouth tightly against her.

Thankful for her detective training, Jane was able to notice the movements that made Maura gasp a bit louder and repeat them frequently. Just when she thought she'd managed to lap up all of Maura's wetness, more would appear and Jane was certain this was an activity she'd be performing many more times in the future.

"Jane," Maura moaned as she felt the woman in between her legs wrap her lips around her clit and begin to suckle gently.

"Hmm?" Jane hummed, never taking her lips from Maura's clit and sending pleasure filled vibrations through Maura.

"Inside of me," Maura requested. "Please. I need you inside of me."

Smirking around Maura's clit, Jane slid her left hand from where it was massaging a pale thigh and happily slid two fingers into Maura.

Maura sighed contentedly as Jane's fingers began a leisurely pace in and out, stroking her walls with each thrust. Jane began to alternate sucking gently on Maura's clit and simply running the tip of her tongue around it, not wanting Maura to fall off the edge just yet.

Soon Maura's hips began a subtle rocking motion, urging Jane to thrust deeper and suck harder as her moans grew louder.

"So good," Maura moaned as she felt Jane curl her fingers.

Maura's sounds served as the encouragement Jane needed to begin to piston her fingers rapidly, her lips sealing around Maura's clit and sucking insistently as she focused on finally bringing Maura over the edge.

"Oh, shit," Maura gasped. "You're gonna make me come," she warned Jane, though the detective needed no warning. The trembling of Maura's thighs that had begun was warning enough that the blonde was close. And less than a minute later, Maura's hands tightened their grip on brunette curls as she cried Jane's name out, thighs trembling wilding as her orgasm slammed into her full force.

Jane began to slow her movements, eventually pulling her fingers from Maura and gently running her tongue around lightly to capture any excess moisture.

"You okay?" Jane asked smugly as she noticed Maura's thighs twitch slightly.

Maura could only nod.

Smiling, Jane quickly wiped her face with the back of her hand before gathering Maura's dress and undergarments in her arms and, upon standing, gathered Maura into her arms as well.

"Thank you," Maura murmured as she wrapped her arms around Jane's neck for stability as the detective began to walk back upstairs.

"Thank _you,_" Jane countered as she pressed a kiss to Maura's hair.

* * *

"Jane, are you sure you're okay with this?"

"Yes," Jane laughed as she turned to look at Maura. "I hated having my photo taken as a kid and I hate dumb posed photos for publicity but I'm really excited to do this photo shoot with you."

"It's okay if you're not," Maura said.

"Well, we're kinda sorta in the parking lot of the park Amanda suggested we meet at so this shoot is gonna happen whether I'm excited or not," Jane pointed out.

"We could always just ask her to join us for lunch or coffee," Maura pointed out.

"Maura," Jane smiled as she reached over the center console of the car and grasped Maura's hand. "I want to do this with you. I want to have these photos hanging up in your house and finally have an excuse to keep your photo in my wallet."

"Our house," Maura corrected. "And what do you mean have an excuse to keep my photo in your wallet?"

"Well, ya know. Everybody keeps photos of their loved ones in their wallet. Frost has photos of his dad, his moms, and young cousins. Korsak has some of his dogs. Ma has photos of all three Rizzoli kids, plus one of you. And I have a group shot of Frankie, Tommy and I plus a photo of Ma and I. But I always felt it would be weird if I had one of you in my wallet since we were just friends."

"And you want to keep one of the photos taken today in your wallet?" Maura asked.

"Yeah," Jane smiled as she brought Maura's hand to her lips to kiss it gently. "So I'll always have it with me. Always have you with me."

"You're such a softie," Maura teased.

"Don't tell anyone," Jane smiled. "You ready to head on out? Amanda said she'd meet us at the gazebo."

"Let's go," Maura instructed as she exited the passenger side of the car and met Jane at the front, lacing their fingers together as they strode towards the white gazebo in the park. They each had brought a change of clothes as Amanda suggested but left them in the car until needed.

Jane opted to wear a pair of dark blue skinny jeans that Maura had helped her choose a few months back paired with a red sweater, opting for a sweater instead of button down in the November chill. She tucked the ends of her skinny jeans into a pair of more fashionable boots that her usual and left her hair down. Maura was also starting the day in skinny jeans, though hers were a few shades lighter. Her top was a cream colored blouse with a black blazer pulled on for a bit more warmth.

"I dunno if I've told you this, but I really love the way you look in jeans," Jane teased as they walked into the deserted gazebo and sat down close to each other as they waited for Amanda.

"Really?" Maura asked, turning to face Jane. "The fact that you stared at me for the duration of breakfast and kept your hand very high on my thigh the entire drive here gave me no inkling of that whatsoever."

"Ya know, I'm not sure if I like all the sass you seem to have squired over the course of our friendship," Jane pointed out.

"You love it."

"I do," Jane smiled as she leaned over to give Maura a quick kiss. "And I love you."

"I love you, too," Maura smiled. "But we are officially being 'that couple' and acting all cutesy in public."

"Gross," Jane smiled as she wrapped an arm around Maura's shoulders. "Good thing we're an hour from Boston in a park where we can be mushy gushy."

"Very good thing," Maura laughed. "How are your hands feeling? I know that the chilly weather can sometimes cause them pain."

"They're surprisingly alright," Jane noted. "But maybe when we get home we can snuggle in a hot bath and you can massage them."

Before Maura could reply, soft footsteps on the stairs into the gazebo prompted them to look away from each other and greet a smiling Amanda.

"Hey," the young woman said. "I just wanna say I'm glad I didn't totally creep you out by sending you that letter."

"Hi," Maura smiled as she stood up to shake Amanda's hand. "And we're both very glad you reached out and weren't creeped out at all."

"Yeah, I think it'll take a lot more than that to creep us out after all the stuff we've seen," Jane laughed as she, too, rose to her feet to greet their photographer with a handshake.

"I'm really sorry about what happened with Rodger," Amanda said nervously. "I mean, I worked with the guy for months and he just seemed like your typical socially awkward middle aged dude. I'm glad he's in jail but I'm sorry you guys got hurt."

"It's in the past," Maura smiled as she laced her fingers with Jane's and gave a soft squeeze. "I'm sorry that your plans to save up for film school in California were put on hold."

"I'm actually glad that happened. I've been doing more photography stuff and I'm realizing I'd rather be doing that than doing film stuff," Amanda said with a smile. "So I guess it's good that I didn't move across the country to start a degree I'm not 100% certain of."

"Well, some good came on our end, too," Jane smiled. "So it looks like us coming out to New Haven wasn't a total bust," she added with a laugh.

"What was the good that came on your end?" Amanda asked.

"Maura and I weren't a couple when we were on the show," Jane explained. "We were just best friends but, uh, after winning the show and talking about what happened with Rodger, we decided to give a relationship a try. And it's been pretty great," she said proudly.

"Okay, so, you guys are gonna have to tell me your real story during this shoot," Amanda demanded with a smile. "How you met, first date, embarrassing stories, all of that."

"We can do that," Maura smiled. "But I'm not sure we have too many embarrassing stories."

"That you know of," Jane teased before turning to Amanda. "Where did you want us to start this photo shoot?"

"We can start right here in the gazebo for some seated shots," Amanda smiled. "If you guys just wanna have a seat like you were when I got here, I'll get my camera up and running."

"What do you mean we don't have any embarrassing stories that I know of?" Maura asked after a moment of shock.

"Well, there was the time after you donated your kidney and were still kinda drugged up in the hospital room," Jane smirked as she sat back down, tugging on Maura's hand to bring her next to her. "It was really quite entertaining."

"I don't remember anything," Maura said with her eyebrows furrowed.

"Cuz you were higher than a kite," Jane laughed. "And gave the nurses and I a lovely rendition of Piano Man by Billy Joel."

"She didn't!" Amanda piped up as she attached a lens to the body of her camera.

"Please tell me I didn't," Maura said, though a smile tugged at her lips.

"I may or may not have a video recording that proves you did, in fact, serenade me," Jane grinned. Maura's eyes widened as she looked up at Jane's smirk. "I love you," Jane laughed as she kissed Maura's forehead. "And I promise that only my Ma has seen that video."

"If I find out that anyone else has seen it, you will never get cuddles for the rest of your life," Maura threatened.

"The rest of my life?" Jane asked, widening her eyes comically.

"Yes, perhaps even in the afterlife as well," Maura smiled.

"You wouldn't!" Jane gasped with exaggerated drama.

"You're right," Maura laughed. "I wouldn't."

Both women laughed as Jane wrapped an arm around Maura's shoulder and pulled her close.

"You guys are gonna give me a cavity," Amanda laughed as she pulled the camera strap over her neck and then threw her bag with spare batteries and lenses over her shoulder.

"How are we going to do that?" Maura asked.

"She means cuz' we're so sweet and mushy gushy," Jane smiled.

"Oh," Maura said, mentally filing away the expression in her mind.

"Alright, so, this park is one of my all-time favorite places to shoot photos," Amanda explained. "We've obviously got this gazebo, but there's also some trails in the wooded area if you wanna do that. There's an old fashioned bright red barn that they renovated to use for selling hot drinks and snacks that we can pose you against and there's a playground if we wanted to get some goofy shots on the swings or teeter-totter."

"We also each brought a change of clothes as you suggested," Maura noted.

"Well, Maura brought a dress to change into and different shoes and I brought a different shirt," Jane corrected.

"Awesome. We can do the trails and playground in these outfits since you're both in jeans and then for the shots against the barn, you can change. That sound like a plan?"

Both Maura and Jane nodded and smiled, looking to Amanda for direction.

The young photographer quickly began to give directions, angling both women towards each other so she could capture their profiles as they gazed at each other, dimples on display as they smiled widely.

Throughout the poses in the gazebo—looking at each other, looking directly at the camera, facing away from the camera to look out over the park, and more—Jane was often the one to make a goofy face or crack a joke, causing all three women to laugh and giving Amanda the chance to take more candid photos of the couple as Maura attempted to scold Jane into behaving.

As they walked through the trails in the wooded areas and in between photos, Jane and Maura entertained Amanda with their real story. How they met, memories of their friendship, and their recent change from friends to girlfriends while in New York.

"Well, when you guys get married and need an engagement or wedding photographer, you know who to call," Amanda smiled as she snapped a photo of the couple sitting on a bench, Maura perched sideways on Jane's lap.

"Deal," Jane stated. "Ya know, Maura thinks she's gonna pop the question before I do," Jane teased. "She's crazy, right?"

"I dunno," Amanda said with a smile. "The doc seems like she could be pretty sneaky. She might pull a fast one on ya."

"Thank you for having my back, Amanda," Maura grinned as she slid from Jane's lap and reached her hand out to lace with Jane's as they continued their walk towards the playground.

Once at the playground, Jane tugged Maura towards the large tire swing that hung horizontal to the ground and helped her in before sitting across from her and beginning to get the swing moving, both women smiling as the wind blew their hair and kept them oblivious to Amanda and her camera.

They continued to laugh as they took turns standing on the merry go round while the other spun it, trading places before moving to the large tic-tac-toe game where Jane spun the blocks to show only O's, informing Maura that meant the Universe was telling her that they should kiss. Maura gasped against Jane's lips when the detective dipped her slightly, knowing Amanda would enjoy that photo.

After the playground, they returned to the car to grab their change of clothes and were shown the bathrooms by Amanda. Maura changed into the yellow sundress she had purchased while in New York City and Jane replaced her sweater with a Heather grey dress shirt with subtle yellow pinstripes that Maura had encouraged her to purchase.

Amanda greeted them at the back of the rustic looking red barn and began to take more traditional photos of the duo. Standing a few feet apart with their hands clasped together, standing pressed against each other with their noses touching, and several other simple shots of the women both up close and full body.

Just as Amanda went to tell them her memory card was almost full, Jane looked and Maura and quickly looked back to Amanda.

"Do you think we could re-create the photos we took on the show? Like, with Maura in my arms and giving me a kiss on the cheek?" Jane asked.

"Yeah, we can totally do that," Amanda smiled.

"Can I sweep ya off your feet?" Jane asked with a wink.

Maura simply nodded, loving Jane even more for asking to re-create the photo that had once caused Maura pain in order to replace that pain with love.

Jane easily scooped Maura up, holding her bridal style as Maura place a kiss to Jane's dimple. Amanda took a few photos, capturing it at various angles and levels of distance, before letting her camera rest on the strap around her neck.

"I've got some really good shots," Amanda informed them.

"I'm not surprised," Jane said as she walked towards Amanda with Maura still in her arms. "I mean, we've seen your work and it's amazing."

"If you want, we can grab my laptop from my car and go over the images right here in the barn coffee shop," Amanda suggested. "You can tell me which ones you like best so I can focus on touching those up. Or you guys can just wait and be surprised in about a week when I get the digital copies to you."

"How about we go into the coffee shop and just chat?" Maura suggested from Jane's arms. "I would like to be surprised when you send us the photos but I think we could all enjoy a warm drink and a snack."

"Do they have brownies or anything chocolate-y in the shop?" Jane asked Amanda.

"They have the best fudge brownies I've ever had," Amanda gushed. "And they're huge. Ridiculously huge."

"Can I get a brownie, Maura?" Jane asked teasingly. "Pretty please?"

"Put me down and we'll talk," Maura laughed.

* * *

"If anyone ever tries to tell me that there is a better way to spend your Saturday evening off than in a steamy bath with your steamy girlfriend, that person would be a very big idiot," Jane mused as she relaxed against the back of Maura's large bathtub and pulled Maura to relax fully against her.

"I'm inclined to agree with you," Maura smiled as she closed her eyes and sank into Jane's strong embrace.

Jane began to hum an absent minded tune as she allowed her eyes to travel to the edge of the bathtub. Maura's hair and body products were sitting on the edge of the tub at the front and Jane smiled when she saw her own bar of Dove soap and her shampoo and conditioner next to Maura's products. Moving in with Maura had been taking them time as they worked long hours and often were too tired to move very quickly but already Jane was enjoying life in what was now their house.

"What are you thinking about up there?" Maura asked, her eyes remaining closed.

"How much I love seeing my stuff mixed in with your stuff," Jane admitted as she pressed a kiss to the crown of Maura's head.

"I love seeing that, too," Maura replied.

"Can I ask you something?" Jane asked softly.

"I was just about to ask if I could ask you something," Maura laughed softly. "But you can always ask me anything, anytime without preamble."

"Wait, you wanna ask me something?" Jane said. "You go first."

Maura knew it was pointless to debate with Jane over who should speak first so she simply began to speak.

"It's a bit short notice, I know, but my mother sent me an e-mail today asking if she could come to Boston for Thanksgiving. We have about two weeks until the holiday and she was wondering if her and my father were welcome. I told them that Thanksgiving is hosted here and that my house would be overcome with our hodge-podge of a family and that I would ask you and Angela if two more could be added to the guest list."

"Really?" Jane asked. "Your parents want to come here and spend the holiday with you?"

"Yes," Maura said with a content smile. "She offered to come in the day before Thanksgiving and leave on Sunday so, unless we're swamped with cases, we could have some time together. Time that is just my parents and I as well as time for the four of us to spend together."

"I'm certain Ma would love to have your folks join us," Jane replied. "You know she cooks enough food to feed an entire empire so that won't be a problem."

"So, my parents are coming to Boston for Thanksgiving?"

"Yeah," Jane smiled as she pressed another kiss to Maura's hair. "You're parents are coming to Boston to celebrate Thanksgiving with their amazing daughter."

"I'm not feeling my typical nerves that come when it comes to my parents," Maura stated.

"That's good!" Jane praised.

"What is it you wanted to ask me?" Maura asked.

"Oh," Jane said with a nervous laugh. "It's kinda weird since we were just talking about your parents and stuff."

"Come on, Jane," Maura encouraged. "Tell me. Please?"

"It's about sex," Jane admitted, prompting Maura to laugh softly. "Okay, why are you laughing at me?"

"Sorry," Maura smiled as she placed her hands over Jane's and squeezed them gently. "You just sound so nervous to talk about sex. I'm sorry for laughing. Continue, please."

"I was just wondering if, uh, when we're having sex if…" Jane trailed off, feeling a steady blush rising in her cheeks. "I was wondering if there's anything you miss. Anything you…crave."

"You're taking about a-"

"Yes," Jane quickly interrupted, not wanting to hear Maura finish that sentence. "I just wanna make sure you're not wanting anything that I can't give you."

"Technically, if I were to be craving that sensation, you _could_ give it to me. The range of options that exists for same sex couples in regards to intimacy is quite extensive," Maura said with a smile. "So don't try to think that this is something that falls into the 'Things Jane Can't Give Maura' category."

"Okay, but you still didn't answer my question," Jane pointed out. "If you're missing anything when we're having sex."

"You're an exceptional lover," Maura complimented.

"Well, thank you," Jane laughed.

"There are certain days where I crave a fuller penetration than just fingers but please understand that my body's desire for that has nothing to do with you not satisfying me," Maura thought out loud. "Some studies have linked a woman's hormone levels to her desire for penetration, regardless of their typical sexual activities."

"So there are times where you miss that feeling," Jane said.

"I don't think I would say I miss that feeling," Maura mused. "I think the word crave is best for this situation. It is a craving that I sometimes have, not a constant feeling of missing the sensation."

"Is it something you want us to…experiment with?" Jane asked tentatively.

"If you felt comfortable exploring the addition of novelty items into our intimacy, I would want it, yes," Maura said as she laced her fingers with Jane's and squeezed. "But only if you were to feel absolutely positive and weren't just doing it to please me."

Jane tilted her head down and nuzzled into the crook of Maura's neck, mumbling something against the pale skin.

"What was that?" Maura laughed as she tried to decipher the mumbles.

"I wanna try some stuff," Jane said, only barely removing her face from its hiding place in Maura's neck.

"Okay," Maura smiled gently, though her heart began to race at the thoughts of what she and Jane could explore together.

"I think it could be really hot but, like, is there a way we can warm up to this? Like, start small?" Jane asked softly.

"Of course," Maura replied. "Would you like to hear a suggestion? Or have you had enough sex talk for the next month?"

"Ha ha," Jane deadpanned. "What's your suggestion?"

"I have a few novelty items for my personal use," Maura said softly, treading the new topic gently to not spook Jane or cause her any unnecessary discomfort. "We could maybe spend a little bit of time with those and then peruse online for anything we'd like to try after you've grown comfortable."

"Yeah, okay," Jane said, pressing a soft kiss to Maura's neck before pulling away to rest her chin on a freckled shoulder. "I like that plan."

"I like it, too," Maura smiled.

"Thank you for being so amazing," Jane said as she pulled Maura tightly against her. "Seriously, you've been perfect. Dealing with my obsession with work, giving me that workout room, allowing us to explore novelty items at my pace, and just being you. I dunno how I can ever thank you."

"Well, there is one thing you could do…" Maura trailed off.

"Name it."

"Tell me what you want for Christmas."

* * *

**Remember! If you have any scenes you wanna see nestled into this story, let me know! I want you all to love this story as much as possible.**

**Love to hear your thoughts!**


	15. Chapter 15

**I hope ya'll aren't too upset that I jumped us right to the Thanksgiving holiday! I also hope you aren't too upset that, once again, we have a bit of sexy time. Oops?**

**Onwards and upwards!**

* * *

"You're sure that you won't be called in to a scene on Thanksgiving?"

"No, I'm not," Jane admitted as she drove she and Maura home on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. "But Cav promised me that if I finished all the paperwork I'd been slacking on and volunteered to present to a couple of classes at the Academy, he'd do his best to call in every homicide detective but me if a case pops up."

"And you finished all the paperwork?" Maura asked nervously.

"I thought I never would but I did, yes," Jane replied. "And you've arranged for another ME to be on call starting tomorrow when your parents arrive until they leave on Sunday. Which means, if all else fails, you and your parents are going to spend some quality time together."

"I wasn't nervous for their arrival at all until my mother and I spoke this morning to confirm their arrival details," Maura sighed.

"They're still arriving in the early afternoon, right?" Jane asked as she reached across the center console to offer Maura's hand a gentle squeeze.

"Yes," Maura confirmed. "She let me know that they'll be having a car pick them up from the airport and bring them to their hotel before heading to Beacon Hill. She anticipates arriving at our house around 3pm but will call if that changes."

"Maybe you could surprise them at the airport?" Jane asked as she pulled the car into the driveway. "Like, sneakily tell the car driver that you'll be picking them up and then stand outside the airport with one of those signs that says The Isles' or something. Draw goofy hearts or a turkey on it," she suggested as they made their way into the house.

"I thought of doing that," Maura admitted as she followed Jane into their home. "I'm just worried about how they would take it."

"I think they'd love it," Jane smiled as she quickly shed her badge and gun, setting them in the safe by the door. "I could even come with you if you'd like."

"Really?" Maura asked, turning away from where she'd been hanging her coat in the front closet to look at Jane.

"Yeah. We could drive to work in separate cars and then I could take a late lunch to drive with you to pick them up. Then you could drop me back off at the station where I'd work before driving myself home a few hours later," Jane explained.

"You are so wonderful," Maura sighed as she walked over to Jane and buried her head in a tan neck. "So, so wonderful," she murmured.

"So are you, Maur," Jane smiled. "These next five days are going to be just fine, I promise you. Tomorrow you and your folks can spend time together just catching up on life before the insanity of Thanksgiving arrives with the motley crew of family and friends taking over our house. Then we'll include them in all of our ridiculous Rizzoli traditions, stuff our faces, and drink a little too much wine. And then on Friday the three of you can go out to some fancy dinner for some bonding and then on the weekend the four of us can go for that tasty hot cocoa they sell in The Common and just be casual and relaxed as a group."

"I love you," Maura smiled as she lifted her head to kiss Jane deeply. "Thank you for always being here to soothe my anxieties."

"Always will be," Jane promised.

A ding from Maura's tablet on the kitchen counter alerted the women that someone sent an e-mail to Maura's personal e-mail account.

"I'll check that while you think about what you'd like for dinner?" Maura asked.

"Sounds like a plan," Jane said, giving Maura one last quick kiss before leaving the embrace to walk towards the fridge to look at possible dinners.

Maura opened up her e-mail and immediately gasped.

"Maura?" Jane asked, hearing the gasp and suddenly fearing the worst. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"Come here," Maura smiled, using a hand to wave Jane over. Once Jane crossed the kitchen, standing behind Maura to wrap strong arms around her midsection, Maura spoke. "Amanda sent me an e-mail with proofs of the photos she took," she explained. "She's touched them up and made a few of them black and white," she continued before lightly tapping the first photo and starting a slideshow of their photo shoot.

A close up of both women's profiles, the tips of their noses touching and wide smiles on display.

A full body shot of both of them shot from behind, Jane pressing a kiss to the side of Maura's head.

A shot taken at an angle of them sitting on a bench in the woods, Maura sitting sideways on Jane's lap as they laughed at something Jane had said.

A shot at the end of their tire swing ride, both women with flushed cheeks from laughter and the cold.

A shot from in front of the large tic-tac-toe game, with Maura being dipped by Jane as they kissed in front of the board that displayed only O's.

A shot of Jane pushing Maura on the merry go round as the doctor held on tightly followed by a similar shot of Maura pushing Jane on the merry go round as the detective attempted to stand without holding onto any of the bars.

A shot in front of the bright red barn with both women standing a few feet apart, their hands clasped together to form a V, the bottom point being their clasped hands.

A shot of Maura in Jane's arms, pressing a kiss to one of Jane's dimples as the detective proudly looked at the camera with a slight blush.

"I'm gonna need a bigger wallet," Jane whispered in Maura's ear as the slideshow continued to show more photos.

"We're going to need a bigger _house_," Maura chuckled. "I want to print and display all of these."

"I think I'd be okay with that," Jane smiled as she kissed Maura's neck. "I'm not sure why but seeing those photos has suddenly made me much less hungry than before."

"I can tell," Maura sighed contentedly as she felt Jane continue to press open mouthed kisses to her neck. "Do you remember the conversation we had in the bathtub after the photo shoot?"

"About the…things?" Jane asked, her hands moving from around Maura's waist to run up and down her sides.

"Yes," Maura confirmed.

"I was waiting for you to bring them up again," Jane admitted.

"I told you that we'd do things at your pace," Maura breathed as she felt strong hands brush the sides of her breasts.

"Let's go upstairs."

Maura quickly turned her tablet off and took Jane's hand, walking quickly to their bedroom.

"Have I ever told you that I find it incredibly arousing when you wear all black?" Maura murmured appreciatively as she slid her arms up Jane's black blazer covered arms to wrap around her shoulders.

"Really?" Jane smirked.

"Oh, yes," Maura nodded. "I'm not quite sure why I find it so particularly arousing but I've certainly been looking forward to coming home since I saw you at breakfast this morning."

"I'll make a note of that," Jane teased as she pulled Maura flush against her. "So where does Maura Isles keep her personal items?" she asked. "Sock drawer? Bedside table? Box under the bed?"

"The bottom drawer of the small dresser on the left hand side of my closet," Maura replied.

"Can I-"

"Please," Maura interrupted, arousal quickly growing. "But hurry back," she smiled after letting her arms slide from Jane's neck.

Jane quickly made her way into the closet, kneeling beside the small dresser and pulling out a shoe box sized box. She nervously lifted the lid, eyes fluttering closed when she saw the assortment.

"It's just Maura," Jane murmured to herself, trying to amp her mind up and ease her nerves. "You won't hurt her and she's safe to explore things with."

"Are you okay, Jane?" Maura asked, hearing the soft voice of her love.

"I am very okay," Jane replied. "Be out soon."

She took in the various toys in the box, moaning softly as images of Maura using them on herself flashed through her mind. There was a small bullet for clitoral stimulation, a thin and long vibrator with a curved end, a vibrator that most closely resembled an actual phallus save for the rabbit towards the base and the swirling beads inside, and a velvet bag that Jane was a bit nervous to open.

But when she opened it, her choice was made.

Walking back into their bedroom, Jane stopped abruptly when she saw a naked Maura lying on the bed, one hand pinching her nipple and the other hand raking its nails up and down her inner thighs.

"You couldn't wait?" Jane chuckled.

"No," Maura smiled as she opened her eyes, grinning when she noticed the velvet bag in Jane's hand. "Good choice," she commented.

"Not gonna lie," Jane began as she set the toy down on the bed and quickly began to pull her own clothes off. "I'm not sure if the idea of you using this on yourself is the hottest thing possible or if the thought of me using this on you is," she continued as she finished undressing and crawled over Maura.

"Maybe we'll have to perform additional research at a later date," Maura smiled before wrapping her arms around Jane's neck and pulling her down into a searing kiss.

"Deal," Jane breathed when she pulled away for air. "This thing looks like a work of art or something," she smiled as she used the hand not holding her up to extract the marbled glass dildo from the protective bag it was kept in.

"I was hoping that was the one you would choose," Maura admitted.

"Really?"

"Mmhmm," Maura hummed as her hands ran over as much of Jane's skin as possible. "It's very beautiful and intimate and strong, very much like the woman who will be wielding it."

Jane snorted in a quick burst of laughter as she began to place kisses down Maura's neck and chest.

"One day you'll accept a compliment without rolling your eyes, laughing, or making a snarky comment," Maura said.

"Don't hold your breath," Jane warned before capturing a stiff nipple in her mouth, lavishing it with gentle attention.

Maura gasped at the feeling, still surprised at just how quickly and strongly her body reacted to Jane's touch.

"Oh, Jane," she moaned as Jane's lips slid from one breast to the other, dark curls tickling Maura's chest delightfully.

Jane smirked around the breast in her mouth, grasping the handle of the dildo and bringing it down between their bodies.

"Do you need any lube or anything?" Jane asked, raising her head to be level with Maura's.

"God, no," Maura chuckled as she brushed a few curls behind Jane's ear.

"I don't wanna hurt you."

"You won't," Maura promised. "Believe me, I am plenty wet already."

Tentatively, Jane used the tip of the dildo to part Maura's folds and ran it up and down slowly.

"You weren't lying about being wet," Jane breathed when the sounds of Maura's arousal were heard as she continued to tease the doctor.

Maura could only make a sound of acknowledgement, her entire mind focused on keeping her back from arching and rushing Jane through this new experience.

Pressing her lips lovingly to Maura's, Jane simultaneously pressed the dildo to Maura's entrance and fluidly slid the entire length into the women below her.

Maura moaned loudly at the sense of fullness the toy brought her, her hands reaching up to clutch at Jane's shoulders.

"How do you like it?" Jane whispered, admiring the look of bliss on Maura's face from her perch above the smaller woman.

"Anyway you want to give it to me," Maura smiled.

"You'll tell me if I'm hurting you or anything?" Jane asked.

"Of course," Maura confirmed, opening her eyes to lock gazes with Jane. "I want you to fuck me, Jane."

Explosive arousal quickly took the place of the shy nervousness Jane felt in this new situation and she wasted no time in pulling the dildo almost entire out of Maura and thrusting it back in, certainly not roughly but certainly not gently.

"Just like that," Maura moaned as Jane maintained a steady rhythm.

"I love you so much, Maura," Jane said as she watched pleasure manifest itself on her girlfriend's face. She knew the words were often issued without real meaning during sex but she couldn't stop herself from saying them, praying Maura knew how much her willingness to let her explore at her own pace meant to the detective.

"Love you," Maura gasped when Jane used a bit more force on a thrust. "So much," she added as her hips began to rise and meet Jane's thrusts.

"So beautiful," Jane praised. "I wanna see you come, Maura. What do you need?"

Wordlessly, Maura removed one of her hands from Jane's shoulder and slid it between their bodies, collecting her own wetness on her fingers before moving to rub her clit.

"Don't stop," Maura instructed when she felt Jane's steady rhythm falter slightly.

Jane refocused and once again found her rhythm, loving the sounds that were coming from Maura. Pants and gasps, please for 'more' and 'harder,' and low moans when Jane kissed any bit of Maura's skin she could reach.

With one last swipe over her clit and a well-placed kiss to her neck, Maura's back arched sharply and she buried her head against Jane's shoulder, attempting to stifle her moans as her orgasm washed over her like a tsunami.

In that moment, Jane desperately wished she had a third arm. One to hold her propped above Maura, one to keep a hold on the toy still nestled inside of Maura, and one to wrap around Maura and hold her tightly to her chest as she trembled with pleasure.

When Maura's hand left her clit to wrap tightly around Jane and cling to her, Jane took that as a sign to gently pull the glass dildo from her girlfriend and push it aside, quickly rolling over so she was beneath Maura, holding the doctor against her chest.

"Jane," Maura gasped as she felt small aftershocks of pleasure jolt her body.

"Shh," Jane soothed as she placed kisses wherever she could reach. "I'm fine. Don't need any sort of reciprocation other than this," she continued as she waited for Maura's heart to slow and her breathing to even out.

"I am so glad," Maura breathed.

"What? That I don't expect you to reciprocate after giving you such a mind blowing orgasm?" Jane smiled.

"No," Maura said as she weakly shook her head. "I'm so glad my parents aren't staying in the guest bedroom for the next five days."

* * *

"You know, in 5 days I'm gonna tell you I told you so and all the fidgeting you're doing will be for nothing."

"I'm sorry," Maura sighed as she stopped adjusting her skirt to give Jane a nervous smile. "I know that you're right when you say these next several days are going to be fine but I can't seem to stop the nerves."

"I wish I could take all your nerves away from you," Jane said as she wrapped an arm around Maura's shoulders and gave her a soft squeeze.

"I know you do," Maura smiled. "But since you're unable to do that, you could always stop avoiding the question whenever I ask you what you'd like for Christmas," she teased.

"Yeah, I think magically making all your parental inspired nerves disappear is more likely than that," Jane smirked. "Although I do admit that I thought you actually doodling small hearts in the corner of your sign was pretty unlikely so maybe the Universe is going all wonky."

"Well, you had already drawn a turkey with a thought bubble saying 'Welcome to Boston!' so the hearts seemed to add a bit of balance to the sign," Maura laughed.

"Uh, sorry?" Jane said with a grin.

"Don't be," Maura replied as she looked down at the sign in her hand. _The Isles' _was written in thick marker in Maura's elegant script and in every corner of the square Maura had drawn a handful of hearts in red. Jane had drawn a crude drawing of a turkey with a smile on his face and welcoming Maura's parents to Boston. "It's charming."

"I think it's more charming that their daughter covertly told their driver not to pick them up from the airport so she could surprise them," Jane mused as she pressed a kiss to Maura's curls. "In case they don't tell you this while they're here, I'm gonna say it: you are an incredible daughter and I am so proud of you."

"Don't you dare make me cry, Jane Rizzoli," Maura warned, turning to look up at the detective.

"Hey, I only speak the truth," Jane smiled.

"Are you nervous?" Maura asked, making no effort to smoothly change the subject. "You've met my mother briefly, though that wasn't the most pleasant experience, and this will be your first time meeting my father."

"I'm a little nervous," Jane admitted. "But the good kind of nerves. The kind that made me put on my nicest pair of slacks and that light blue button up that actually fits me really well."

"You do look rather handsome," Maura praised. She herself wore a black pencil skirt and a coral colored blouse, a pair of her favorite black heels to assist in giving her confidence.

"Keep your hands to yourself, Doctor Isles," Jane teased. "I do not want the first time I meet you father to be as you're feeling me up outside of the airport."

"That would be rather unfortunate," Maura sighed. "They should be here shortly. Unless there was an unexpected delay of some sort."

"There wasn't a delay," Jane smiled.

"How do you know?" Maura asked.

"Cuz' I'm pretty sure your parents are walking towards us."

Maura looked away from Jane's face to see her mother and father were in fact walking towards them, smiles on both of their faces. Constance looked the same as she always did, her hair perfectly styled as she wore a deep crimson skirt suit. Richard was a tall man who stood proudly, no doubt from years of commanding a classroom full of college students. He wore khaki slacks and a forest green sweater, a large coat thrown over his forearm.

"Maura, darling!" Constance said when she reached her daughter, surprising all four of them when she pulled her in for a gentle hug. "What on Earth are you doing here?"

"I thought it would be a nice surprise to greet you and father myself, instead of having the car pick you up," Maura explained as she gave her father a few moments to let go of the handles of the two rolling suitcases they packed before standing on her toes to embrace the tall man.

"It is a very nice surprise indeed," Constance smiled. "And it is wonderful to see you again, Jane," she added as she gave Jane a much quicker embrace that Maura, having been warned that Jane wasn't much of a hug person.

"Glad you could come to celebrate the holiday here in Boston," Jane said to the elder Isles woman before turning to face Richard. "Jane Rizzoli," she said as she offered her hand out to Richard.

"I've heard very much about you," Richard noted as he shook Jane's hand. "Our Maura is quite fond of you."

"Well, I'm quite fond of her, too," Jane smiled as she glanced at Maura, her heart fluttering as she saw the large smile on her girlfriend's face. "If you and Maura want to get settled in the car, I can help get the luggage into the trunk," she offered.

"Thank you," Constance smiled, quickly entering the backseat of the Prius while Maura slid into the driver's side.

"You have a firm handshake," Richard stated as Jane opened the trunk and helped position the suitcases in it.

"It was one of the first things I remember my pop teaching me," Jane explained. "Always told my brothers and I that a good handshake will get you far in life."

"I'm inclined to agree," Richard smiled as he shut the trunk. "But I also witnessed the gentleness with which you treated my daughter. In the thirty seconds it took between my wife and I noticing you and you noticing us, I saw you treat my Maura with such love and tenderness."

"She deserves all of that. And more," Jane admitted. "I know that we've only just met so it might take some time for me to receive the official Father Stamp of Approval, but I hope that one day I do earn it."

"I make no promises, though the odds do seem to be in your favor," Richard said with a wink. "Now let's get in the car before the ladies start to gossip too much."

* * *

When Jane made it home later that evening, she was greeted with the mouthwatering smell of dinner being prepared and a trio of voices carrying from the kitchen.

"Hey," Jane greeted after removing her badge and gun and entering the kitchen to see Richard and Constance sitting at the island while Maura stood by the stove and stirred a pot.

"Hello, Jane," Constance smiled. "I do hope its okay that we're preparing dinner instead of ordering pizza."

"And you blame _me_ for you being so sassy sometimes? I think I've found the real root of the sass," Jane teased, walking to Maura to place a quick kiss to her cheek.

"Constance does surprise me sometimes with the sass," Richard laughed. "Keeps me on my toes, I do believe."

"I know!" Jane laughed. "When Maura gives me sass when I'm not expecting it, I swear I go into shock. These next few days with both Constance and Maura might just kill me."

"Good thing I'm a medical examiner, then," Maura smiled.

"Woah, I think the correct response should be that it's good you're a doctor so you can try to save me, not good thing that you can cut me up!" Jane said.

"You know I would do everything in my power to save you," Maura smiled as she turned to give Jane a kiss on the cheek of her own.

"Good," Jane grinned. "Can I help with anything? Or at least know what we're having?"

"Soupe au pistou," Constance stated. "It's a vegetable soup that I hope you'll enjoy. Since Maura has warned us that tomorrow will be a day filled with food, we opted for a lighter meal tonight."

"Mother also suggested we make it because, though the dish is French, a key aspect of the dish is the French version of pesto added to the soup," Maura added. "A perfect way to mix a French dish and an Italian dish."

Jane looked up at Constance, meeting the older woman's gaze and attempting to silently communicate with her in the same way she and Maura could.

Constance simply nodded her head slightly and gave a smile.

"The wine is already chilling but would you mind going to the pantry and choosing which loaf of bread you'd like to go with the soup?" Maura asked, not noticing the moment happening between her mother and her girlfriend.

"Yeah, of course," Jane said as she placed a kiss to the side of Maura's head before heading to the pantry and choosing a loaf of bread, moving back to the kitchen to slice it and join the conversation before they all migrated to the dinner table.

"So," Richard began after soup had been ladled into bowls and bread passed around. "Maura tells us that your change in relationship occurred in New York City."

"It did," Jane smiled. "We took a weekend trip to reward ourselves for making through a really tough case and I guess there's something about being in a new city that made it less terrifying to talk about emotions."

"You ran from the hotel room," Maura teased.

"Well, yeah, but-"

"I'm only teasing," Maura laughed as she reached a hand under the table to give Jane's knee a gentle squeeze.

"See!" Jane laughed as she looked towards Maura's parents. "The sass and teasing and sarcasm are gonna be the death of me."

"I personally enjoy seeing Maura tease you," Richard smiled.

"Thank you, father," Maura beamed as Jane's jaw fell open in shock and amusement.

"I agree with Richard," Constance smiled. "It's quite refreshing to see Maura in such a blissful and carefree state."

"It does look good on her, huh?" Jane smiled as she turned to her side to see a blushing Maura.

A few beats of silence passed between the group before Constance spoke softly.

"Maura, your father and I are truly sorry for how distant we've been your entire life," she spoke. "We would love the chance to discuss that with you after the holiday so as not to dampen the mood of the day tomorrow."

"I would like that very much," Maura replied as she gave her parents a grateful smile.

"There's something else we would love as well," Richard said.

"What is it?" Maura asked.

"We would very much like the chance to know you," he said. "To know the woman you are today and have a relationship with her. A better one than we have now."

"If you'd like the same thing, of course," Constance added quickly.

"I would love very few things more," Maura admitted.

"Thank you, darling," Constance smiled. "Thank you very, very much."

* * *

**Okay, so, I'm cutting this chapter here but I'm going to right away upload the next chapter. I'm anticipating the actual Thanksgiving holiday and a Maura/Constance/Richard scene will be kinda lengthy so I'm truncating the chapters. I dunno why but I'd prefer two chapters similar in length to the others than one long chapter. Guess my OCD isn't as controlled as I thought.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Thanksgiving time!**

* * *

Early the next morning, Maura and Jane were snuggled next to each other on Maura's couch, both clad in jeans and sweaters, when a small voice entered the house.

"Aunt Jay! Auntie Mo-wa!" TJ called as he darted from next to Lydia and Tommy in the entry way to greet the women on the couch.

"Hiya, buddy!" Jane smiled as he lifted himself onto the couch and crawled over Jane's lap to sit nestled between the two women.

"Good morning, TJ," Maura greeted.

"Did the parade start yet?" he asked, looking happily at the television.

"Not yet," Maura grinned. "But it's going to start very soon."

"Hey, Janie. Hey, Maura," Tommy greeted after setting a large bag of craft supplies next to the entryway and walked with Lydia to the living room. "Frankie not here yet?"

"He's helping Ma with something in the guesthouse," Jane explained as the other couple sat on the loveseat. "But he better get back here cuz' the parade will start without him, right TJ?"

"Right!" TJ giggled. "But I hope he and Nana don't miss the start! It's a 'zoli tradition to watch together!"

"We're here!" Angela called, followed quickly by Frankie.

"And we're here, too!" Korsak called from the front hallway, alerting the motley crew to the arrival of Cavanaugh, Frost, and himself.

"Are your parents coming to watch the parade?" Jane asked Maura softly.

"I told them it was tradition for all of us to watch it together and I encouraged them to come but they seemed hesitant to intrude on tradition," Maura replied. "I hope they arrive but even if they don't arrive until later, I'll be quite happy."

"Who you talkin' 'bout?" TJ asked, tilting his head to look up at the faces of the women whose laps he was sitting on.

"My parents are visiting Boston for the holiday," Maura said with a smile. "Aunt Jay was asking if they would be here to join us to watch the parade."

"I hope they come!" TJ beamed. "Daddy told me he thinks there's gonna be a turtle balloon this year. A real big balloon with Donatello and Michelangelo and Raphael and Leonardo!"

"I'm sure Maura's parents would love to see a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle balloon," Jane laughed before turning to greet the three men who had joined their party, laughing as Jo Friday ran from person to person happily.

Maura happily began to make idle chit chat with her guests, the conversation turning into a heated debate about which dish was most anticipated for that afternoon's meal. Maura held her ground as she defended the home made stuffing she loved to help prepare, claiming it took the most time since the bread needed to be cut and left to dry days before the holiday, while a vast majority of the group argued that cheesy mashed potatoes were the best. Maura could barely contain her laughter as Korsak and Frost gushed about Angela's famous pumpkin and apple pies, sharing a knowing glance with Jane over who really baked those pies.

The doorbell rang just as the first float began to make its way down the parade route and with a hopeful heart, Maura made her way to the front door to greet who she hoped were her parents.

"Terribly sorry for our tardiness!" Richard smiled from the front porch. "We imagined that everyone would be indoors watching the parade but there was a surprising amount of traffic!"

"No worries at all," Maura smiled as she stepped aside to let her parents in. "You've only just missed the annual debate as to which dish is most looked forward to and the parade began a minute ago."

"The stuffing is the dish that gets my vote," Constance stated as she embraced Maura quickly, giving her two kisses on the cheek before pulling away to shed her coat.

"I'm afraid you and I are the only ones who feel that way," Maura laughed as she turned to her father.

"I can't pass up a good pie," Richard laughed as he allowed his daughter to embrace her.

"Can you keep a secret?" Maura asked as she hugged her father.

"Of course!"

"Jane will give all the credit to her mother but the pies and cookies that are going to be for dessert were made completely by her," Maura smiled. "No one knows but Angela and I."

"Our lips are sealed," Constance promised. "We've also brought you a few bottles of wine from a local vineyard in France. Shall we put it in the fridge?"

"I can take it into the fridge," Maura said. "You two are more than welcome to make yourselves comfortable in the living room."

Handing the case of wine bottles to Maura, the elder Isles couple made their way into the living room, smiling at the warmth radiating from the large group spread out over couches and chairs.

When Maura returned to the living room, she was greeted with the sight of her eclectic family all sitting contentedly in front of her television, smiles on all faces as they watched the parade and made easy conversation.

"Auntie Mo-wa!" TJ cried, not realizing she was standing just a few feet away. "Come back! Come back! The turtles are real and on their very own float!"

* * *

The parade had ended and Angela had retreated into the kitchen to begin preparing appetizers and also the turkey, filling the house with the delicious scents that comfort food provides.

Jane, Frankie, Tommy, Frost, Maura, and TJ were all running around the backyard with Jo Friday, alternating between playing tag and raking the fallen leaves into piles to jump into and roll around in.

Cavanaugh, Korsak, and Richard were sitting in the living room with a football game playing as background noise to their discussion over the traveling Korsak and Cavanaugh had done in their younger years and Richard's laughter at their antics.

Constance stood looking out the back sliding door, watching as her daughter chased after TJ, both of them laughing freely as she caught him and scooped him into her arms.

"Oh, no!" Jane cried as she staggered dramatically towards Maura and TJ.

"What's wrong?" Maura asked, quickly looking up from nuzzling her nose to TJ's to look at Jane worriedly.

"Gravity!" she gasped. "It's getting too strong! I'm goin' down!"

"No!" TJ giggled as he attempted to squirm out of Maura's grasp. "She's gonna squish us, Auntie Mo-wa!" he explained as Jane wrapped her arms around Maura's shoulders and began to sag against her. "Every man for himself!" he giggled as he managed to reach the ground and scurry away towards Frankie.

"I can't stand up anymore," Jane said theatrically. "The force of gravity is just…too…much!"

"Jane, the force of gravity can't—oof!"

Jane had managed to guide them towards a large pile of leaves the others had raked for TJ to jump into and fell to her knees, bringing Maura down with her into the pile.

"I've lost the battle against gravity," Jane groaned, falling backwards onto her back and bringing Maura with her. "I'm sorry you had to witness my demise, doctor."

"Demise?" Maura laughed, turning slightly to watch Jane pretend to die in the most childish manner, peaking open one of her eyes to see the doctor's laughter before resuming her dead face. "Looks like I'll have to go find someone else to spend the rest of my life with," she sighed, attempting to sit up.

"Not the right thing to say," Jane murmured, keeping her eyes closed and a firm hold on Maura's midsection.

Smiling, Maura pressed her lips to Jane's, earning a smile from the detective.

"You've revived me," Jane grinned. "Gravity is no match for a Maura Isles kiss!"

Constance watched the exchange from the door, unable to hear the conversation but entirely able to see the laughter and love on her daughter's face.

"They're good for each other," Angela commented as she appeared next to Constance.

"I don't think I've ever seen my daughter look so at ease," Constance said with a sad smile.

"Until Maura came into Jane's life, I don't think I'd seen Jane so at ease either. And since they started dating, they've both been so happy. I'm so glad you and your husband could be here to see that."

"We have your daughter to thank for that, I suppose," Constance said as she turned to face Angela. "She sent my husband and I an e-mail asking for childhood photos and videos of Maura which, in turn, created opportunity for Richard and I to let Maura know how much we regret our distant relationship."

"And you're going to work towards closing the distance between you and your daughter?" Angela asked.

"The three of us are all going to dinner tomorrow at Maura's favorite restaurant," Constance replied.

"Good," Angela smiled. "I can't even begin to tell you how much Maura means to this family and I hope that you and Richard can see firsthand how lovely of a daughter you have."

"Sometimes I get the feeling as though Richard and I don't deserve that opportunity," Constance admitted.

"Well, Maura is the smartest woman I know and if she thinks you deserve that opportunity, then you must really do deserve it."

Before Constance could reply, she felt a small hand reach up to tug at the hem of her sweater.

"Hi."

"Well, hello there," she smiled down at TJ.

"Aunt Jay said I should let everyone know we wanna make our turkey drawings," he explained. "I don't wanna wait anymore," he added with a toothy smile.

"A turkey drawing?" Constance asked, looking up to Angela for clarification.

"Another Rizzoli Thanksgiving tradition," Angela smiled. "Everyone traces their hand onto a piece of paper and then we turn that outline into a turkey. They act as name cards so everyone can figure out where they want to sit at the dinner table beforehand."

"It's art!" TJ giggled.

"Well, it's a good thing I'm an artist," Constance said as she turned to look back down at TJ. "Lead the way to the art supplies, TJ."

TJ happily took both Angela and Constance's hands in his own, walking with them to the living room where a stack of colorful construction paper and various markers and crayons sat on the end table. Members of the family were strewn around the living room, using books as makeshift tables as they spread out on the floor to turn their hand's outline into a turkey.

Maura looked up from her own drawing just in time to see her mother accept a piece of construction paper and handful of markers from TJ, sitting gingerly on the edge of the couch and beginning to trace her hand onto the paper.

* * *

Dinner came a few hours later, everyone sitting around Maura's dining room table that she'd elongated for the occasion. The colorful construction paper name tags were tucked underneath plates as everyone prepared to load up on food.

Angela sat at one end of the table and, after a sneaky change of name plates, Maura found herself at the other end of the table with her parents on either side of her.

"Alright," Angela began as she captured everyone attention away from the steaming food they were eyeing. "One last tradition before we dig in. Everyone has to say at least two things they're thankful for and the first person to say they're thankful for cheesy potatoes goes without the cheesy potatoes. Got it?"

"May I begin?" Richard asked from his spot next to Maura.

"Of course!" Angela beamed.

"I'm thankful for the chance to spend the next few days with my daughter and for the warm welcome you all have given me," he said with a smile.

Angela turned to face Jane who sat next to Richard and thus began the roundtable announcements of thankfulness.

"I'm thankful that we're all here and safe, especially since some of us enjoy giving our mothers heart attacks and work in a dangerous field and I'm really thankful that I'm officially done moving out of my apartment and that this house is now my permanent residence," Jane said.

"I'm thankful that Lydia and I are working out as a couple and that TJ is doing much better in kindergarten that I did," Tommy smiled as he ruffled his son's hair.

"I'm thankful that the turtles were in the parade this morning! And that my tummy is about to be full!" TJ said happily.

"I'm also thankful that Tommy and I are working out and that you all are so welcoming every time I'm here," Lydia stated.

"I'm thankful that Angela insisted I come here today to celebrate with the best people in Boston and that a certain detective has finally caught up on all her paperwork," Cavanaugh said as he shot a teasing glare to Jane.

"I'm thankful that the Rizzoli family is happier than we've been in a long time and that I've got a date this weekend," Frankie smirked, knowing that his date with Susie would soon be discovered.

"I'm so thankful to have _four_ amazing children who make me so proud every single day and I'm so thankful that our family grew by another two people today," Angela smiled as she looked towards Maura and her parents.

"I'm thankful that I'm not sitting alone in my apartment eating an Oscar Meyer turkey sandwich with my dogs and that I've got the best hodge-podge family on the east coast," Korsak laughed.

"I'm thankful that I've got a family on the west coast and a family here on the east coast and also that I've got the best damn co-workers and friends a dude could ask for," Frost grinned.

"I'm thankful for Jane who has brought my daughter so much happiness and I am so, so thankful for Maura who has brought me such pride and happiness," Constance said, turning to Jane and Maura in turn.

"And I'm thankful to have such a warm and lively family who never ceases to make me feel so ridiculously loved," Maura admitted. "And for cheesy potatoes."

* * *

"I can't move," Jane mumbled, her face buried in the comforter as she flopped face first onto their bed.

"I'm not sure if I pity you or not," Maura smiled as she crossed the bedroom and into her closet, placing her jeans and sweater in their appropriate laundry bins and pulling on a pair of her standard silk pajama pants and one of Jane's old hoodies that she had claimed for herself.

"Pity me," Jane whined, turning to rest her cheek on the comforter instead of lying face down when she felt Maura sit next to her and begin to run fingers through her hair. "Today was nice," she mused.

"It was," Maura agreed. "The weather was lovely, considering last Thanksgiving it rained for days and we were all cooped up inside."

"I think the weather was the smallest part of today's success," Jane smiled as she opened her eyes to meet Maura's.

"I know," Maura grinned as she bent over to kiss Jane's forehead. "Your mother told me that she managed to snap several candid photos using the camera I purchased her last Christmas. She'll be e-mailing them to my parents and I in the next few days."

"Good," Jane replied.

"Get changed into your pajamas," Maura instructed. "I want to cuddle."

"We can do that without me having to move from this bed," Jane grinned.

"Get changed."

Groaning, Jane pushed herself from the bed and dragged her feet dramatically to the dresser. Maura laughed as she moved to the en suite, brushing her teeth and washing her face before crawling in to bed to wait for Jane to finish her own nightly ritual of checking the locks on the doors and windows and brushing her own teeth.

"Come 'ere," Jane said as she finally crawled into bed and opened her arms up to Maura.

The doctor quickly scooted close to Jane, their torsos pressed together as she nuzzled against the worn cotton of Jane's sleep shirt.

"Do you promise not to completely ruin the house while I'm out with my parents tomorrow?" Maura asked.

"Define 'completely ruin,'" Jane smiled as her hand began to trace patterns on Maura's back.

Maura smiled as she tilted her head up to meet Jane's.

"I'm quite thankful for you," she said.

"Well, thanks," Jane grinned. "I'm quite thankful for you, too."

* * *

Dinner with her parents had never been as simple for Maura as it was in that moment.

As they enjoyed their salads, Maura updated them on the various articles she was writing or reviewing and Constance made it a point to tell Maura that Richard kept an entire shelf in his study dedicated to her publishings and on more than one occasion took various articles into his classroom for examples.

When the main courses they ordered arrived, Maura was happily telling stories from her personal life. A camping trip with Jane to the Adirondacks, the donation of her kidney to Cailin and mention of a secret video Jane had of her while a bit loopy, and various other moments. Richard and Constance were paying close attention, asking questions to learn more instead of simply offering polite smiles as their usual once was.

As dessert was placed in front of them, Maura finally decided to broach the subject she knew they were all nervous to begin.

"I've really enjoyed the light-hearted conversation thus far," she admitted to her parents. "But I feel as though if we don't discuss heavy topics, our relationship will never progress."

"That does seem to be where we falter," Richard agreed with a sad smile. "Never discussing things past a superficial level."

Maura simply offered a soft smile.

"We have always loved you, Maura," Constance began. "From the moment you were first placed in my arms, I was so enamored with you. You saw the photo of you as an infant in my arms."

"I did," Maura confirmed as she remembered the look of awe on a young Constance's face as she held Maura.

"I want you to know that our distance from you, both geographically and emotionally, was never about us not loving you," Constance continued. "I know that, for my part at least, I simply had no idea how to properly show affection other than the way my parents showed me affection. And that excuse seems hardly enough given how wonderfully you seem to be able to show affection without having had me do the same for you."

"I wasn't always as confident or comfortable showing affection as I am today," Maura smiled. "I was terribly afraid of showing real affection. Casual flings—sorry, father," she said as she turned to her father, "I could do those with ease. But the true affection I show with Jane and those who were at Thanksgiving…That took time."

"Do we have time?" Richard asked softly.

"Pardon?"

"I suppose I should ask if _you_ have time," Richard clarified. "For us to learn how to best show you that we love you and learn how to be affectionate with our daughter. You're a very busy woman and might night have time for us to learn those things."

Maura immediately felt a lump form in her throat.

"I will always have time for you both," Maura said, her voice soft for fear it would crack if she spoke too loud.

"Thank you," Richard said as he, too, felt emotions swell within him at seeing his daughter's hopeful eyes looking up at him. "Do you see her eyes, Constance?" he asked his wife.

"I do," Constance smiled.

Maura quickly reached up to her eyes, feeling the corners to see if tears had leaked out without her knowledge or if her makeup had smudged.

"There's nothing wrong, darling," Constance reassured her daughter. "What your father is saying is that your eyes are just as expressive and lovely as they were when you were a little girl."

"They always were our favorite part of you."

* * *

**So, a shorter installment but I literally have to leave for work in the next 5 minutes and really wanted to upload these two chapters together.**

**Do you want to see a Jane/Constance/Richard/Maura scene or maybe just a Jane/Constance scene or just fast forward to them leaving?**


	17. Chapter 17

**I'm back! I was going to wait until the after Thanksgiving sales to get a laptop but this one was on sale and was a great deal so ya'll get updates a week earlier than anticipated! I should warn you, though, that I will be starting a second job soon. So my updates may not be as frequent as they were back when this story began but I will certainly try my hardest.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"The worst part about spending the day with your parents is that I have to keep my hands to myself the whole time."

"You don't have to keep them entirely to yourself," Maura laughed as she drove them towards her parent's hotel the day after Thanksgiving. "Just keep it PG."

Jane turned to look at Maura from the passenger seat, an exaggerated pout on her face.

"Are you seriously pouting over keeping things PG for a few hours?" Maura smiled.

"Maybe," Jane grinned. "Did you guys decide on a game plan for the day?"

"Not really," Maura replied. "We liked your suggestion of walking around The Common and getting some of that spiced apple cider you love but after that we've decided to play it by ear."

"Didn't you mention an exhibit at the MFA you wanted to visit? Your parents would like that, right?"

"Or we could go shopping," Maura suggested, pulling up outside the Ritz and reaching for her cellphone to call her parents.

"That'll bond your father and I real quick," Jane laughed. "The Isles women dragging their men to every shopping center in Boston."

"You are hardly a man," Maura winked, allowing her eyes to roam up and down Jane's body.

"Keep it in your pants, woman!" Jane chastised with a grin.

"Hello, mother," Maura greeted when her mother picked up the phone, rolling her eyes at Jane slightly. "Yes, we've parked out front. It's a bit chilly so I would remind father to bring his hat…Of course, see you shortly."

"Your mother has to remind your father to wear his hat?" Jane smiled.

"Much in the same way I have to remind you to wear a hat as well," Maura teased.

"It makes the top of my hair look funny!"

"It ensures you don't fall ill," Maura countered.

"But my girlfriend is a doctor who will nurse me back to health wearing those black scrubs I find oddly attractive, right?"

Before Maura could respond, the back door of her Prius opened and her father slid in, followed shortly by her mother.

"Hello, darling," Constance greeted her daughter. "And hello, Jane."

"Hello, mother," Maura smiled as she met her mother's gaze in the rearview mirror. "And I see you've remembered your hat, father."

"These women are going to be the death of us, Jane," Richard laughed at this daughter's teasing.

"That's entirely possible," Jane smiled. "But if you're gonna die, what a way to go out. Death by Isles."

Maura looked at Jane with wide eyes and a smile as her parents chuckled in the back seat.

"I do feel as though I've just received a very high compliment," Constance noted.

"You did," Jane confirmed. "I'm not really good at this whole meeting the parents thing so just let me know if I ever start to lay it on too thick."

"I make no promises," Constance smiled. "Shall we head out to The Common for a spiced cider we've heard so much about?"

The four made their way to The Common, talking about their options for the rest of the day as Maura maneuvered them through the Boston streets and into a parking spot.

"You two are quite a lovely couple," Constance said when they began to stroll leisurely through the late fall air, Jane and Maura walking with their arms around each other's waist as Richard and Constance walked next to them hand in hand.

"Pretty sure that's all Maura's doing."

"Jane has never once taken a compliment in all the years I've known her," Maura said to her mother.

"You are truly stunning, Jane," Constance tried to reason with the detective.

"Thank you," Jane said, thankful for the chilly air that reddened her cheeks and hid the blush creeping into her cheeks.

"She's taken a compliment!" Richard declared with a laugh.

"You'll take one from my mother but not me?" Maura gasped.

"Hey, I gotta get on your parents good side," Jane defended, though she gave Maura's waist a gentle squeeze.

"You are already on my good side," Constance stated,

"And I can neither confirm nor deny if you're on my good side," Richard teased,

"Well, 50% ain't too bad," Jane grinned. "Could be worse."

"Yes, it could be," Maura smirked. "You could be on my bad side."

"Like I said, Death by Isles is quite a way to go."

Maura shook her head at the detective's humor, though gave her waist a small squeeze of support.

"Is that the cider stand you love?" Richard asked, nodding towards a small stand that seemed to appear in The Common overnight at the first moment of fall.

"It is!" Jane beamed, eager for her spiced cider. "Did you all want one?"

After confirming that no one was willing to share, Constance turned to look at Jane.

"I can accompany you and help you carry the drinks," she offered.

"Yeah, okay," Jane smiled. "That'd be super helpful."

With a reassuring smile to Jane, Maura unwrapped her arm from Jane's waist and walked with her father to a picnic table while Jane and Constance made their way to the stand. As the two women waited in line, Jane inhaled deeply and glanced at the woman next to her.

"Constance, I really wanted to apologize for the last time you were in Boston. I was rude and just plain old disrespectful."

"Would you like to know a secret?" Constance asked,

"Sure."

"I have never been so happy that someone disrespected me."

"Uh…What?"

"When you disrespected me, it showed me even all those years ago how much you cared for my daughter. How you would just as quickly stand up for her as you would stand beside her," Constance smiled.

"I think that, on some level, I've always loved your daughter," Jane said before turning to the man taking orders and briefly conversing with him.

"That is very clear to see," Constance said when they stepped to the side to wait for their drinks. "Simply watching you two laughing in the back yard or seeing the way you both can communicate without words…The love between you and Maura is so very evident."

"I never want her to doubt how loved she is," Jane admitted.

"Like when she was growing up."

"No! That is not what I meant at all," Jane said quickly. "I mean that sometimes I'm a jerk who gets scared and pulls away or works too much and I wanna shower Maura in so much love that, even when I'm being a work-a-holic jerk, she knows I love her. She'll have all these great memories or photos to look back on and remind her that I love her so unconditionally."

"Speaking of photos, I would like your blessing to frame one of the photos you and Maura had taken together," Constance smiled.

"Only as long as I have your blessing to frame the one of you, your husband, and Maura all holding up your turkey drawings," Jane smiled before hearing her named called out and walking with Constance to pick up their drinks.

They soon made their way back to the picnic table, Jane sitting next to Maura and Constance next to her husband.

Jane waited to take her first sip of the cider until Maura's parents had done so, watching as their faces lit up in pleasant surprise at the taste.

"May I ask you something, Jane?" Richard asked after a few moments of comfortable silence.

"I've tried to get the recipe but even with the badge they won't give it up," Jane joked.

"Not what I was going to ask but good to know," Richard laughed. "I was going to ask where your father was."

Just as Jane's hands abandoned her cup of cider and moved to clench into fists under the table, Maura set her own cup down and placed a hand at the small of Jane's back to rub soothing circles.

"He's in Florida."

"Jane, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause you undue stress," Richard apologized as he saw the pain on Jane's face.

"No, you're fine," Jane said. "It's a totally valid question. He moved down there a few years ago with his girlfriend, came back up last year to tell us he had cancer and spew drunken insults at us, then came up right after Maura and I got back from New York…" Jane trailed off, her mind unable to stop itself from going back to the dinner her father had joined them for.

_I thought your mother and I raised you better than that… I may be the one with the cancer but you…You're the one who's really sick._

"Frank doesn't approve of the relationship between Jane and I," Maura said as she looked at her parents, though her hand continued to run soothingly over Jane's lower back. "The things he said when we announced our relationship caused Jane quite a bit of pain."

"You were hurt, too," Jane said, turning to face Maura with an apologetic look on her face.

"Yes, Frank's words did hurt me," Maura admitted. "But a few hurtful words mean nothing compared to the joy of knowing I'm going to spend my life with you."

Maura then placed a gentle kiss to Jane's lips, startling slightly when she turned back to see her parents intently watching them with soft smiles on their faces at the compassion that was palpable in the atmosphere. She had almost forgotten they were there.

"Sorry about that," Jane said somewhat bashfully. "Kinda still a sore subject, I guess."

"Everybody has those," Richard said with a soft smile

"Maura is kinda like the Jane Whisperer, ya know?" Jane chuckled, hoping to lighten the mood with her trademark humor.

"Well, then it is a good thing you both are in agreement that spending your lives together is a good idea," Constance noted.

"Speaking of that…" Richard trailed off before he began to hum the Wedding March.

"Oh, my goodness," Jane laughed.

"Marriage does seem to be in our future," Maura chuckled. "But we want to spend some time enjoying our new relationship. Dating, courting, the likes."

"But you've already got your eye on a ring, don't you, Jane?" Richard asked.

"Actually," Jane smiled. "Maura has this crazy idea that she's gonna propose to me so maybe you should be asking her if she has my ring picked out."

* * *

The four did in fact go on a shopping trip, though by Maura's definition it was rather brief. They ended their time together with a late lunch at The Dirty Robber per Constance's suggestion and the entire group agreed to meet at Maura's the next morning for a homemade breakfast before Richard and Constance left for Paris.

"I'm sorry my father brought Frank up," Maura said softly.

"It's fine," Jane shrugged as she began to pull her coat, hat, and gloves off to place them in the entryway closet. "I can't just never talk about him ever again."

"You could do that if you wanted," Maura suggested as she waited for Jane to finish putting her clothes in the closet. When Jane turned to face her girlfriend, Maura hands immediately reached for Jane's left hand and began to massage it gently.

"I didn't say they hurt," Jane said, though she made no move to pull her hands away.

"As it grows colder outside and barometric pressure changes, I make sure to pay more attention to your hands and your facial features for signs of discomfort," Maura stated. "I noticed you winced when you first lifted your mug of beer at lunch and you were trying to subtly massage them yourself in the car."

"So maybe they hurt a little bit," Jane admitted.

"Well, then it's a good thing your girlfriend is a doctor who can nurse you back to health," Maura teased.

"In your black scrubs?"

"I was thinking in the bath tub but I can certainly change into a pair of scrubs if you would prefer that," Maura smiled.

"No, the bath tub is a fine alternative for now."

"You are insatiable," Maura chuckled as they began to walk towards the master bathroom.

"I never said anything about sex," Jane pointed out. "Which means it's your mind that is in the gutter, doctor."

"Don't even try to pretend that your mind isn't in the gutter with mine."

"It is," Jane confirmed as they entered the large bathroom. She let go of Maura's hand to begin filling the tub and to grab the scented bath salts they both enjoyed and sprinkle them into the water. When she looked up from returning the salts to their home beneath the sink, she was greeted by the sight of a naked Maura.

"Not wasting any time are you?" Jane laughed as she watched Maura pull her hair into a messy bun, her full body on display.

"Why would I?" Maura asked, stepping forward to begin unbuttoning Jane's shirt. "Now that we aren't around my parents, there is absolutely no need to keep things PG."

"Maura," Jane whispered. "Is it okay if we don't…Ya know?"

"Of course," Maura said as she abandoned her unbuttoning of Jane's shirt to lace their fingers together. "We never have to do anything you don't want."

"I wanna be close to you and stuff but can we do just that? Be close to each other and relax?" Jane asked.

"I would like that very much," Maura smiled, placing a gentle kiss to Jane's lips. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Jane replied before Maura stepped into the tub and relaxed against the back, her legs spread open to give Jane room to sit in front of her.

Tossing her clothes into her hamper, Jane stepped into the tub and sat down to immediately relax against Maura. She slid the glass door to the tub shut and smiled as she and Maura were enveloped in their own private and steamy bubble.

"I once had a dream that you cut your hair," Maura admitted as she ran her hands through dark curls before beginning to brain it loosely.

"You did?" Jane laughed.

"Yes. In the dream, I'd gone to consult on a case in a small town and, when I returned, you had donated much of it to Locks of Love. You had it cut just above your shoulders."

"Would you break up with me if I ever did that?" Jane asked, hoping to hide her genuine curiosity with forced laughter.

"No."

"What is I got a Mohawk and dyed it turquoise?"

"I would make sure to throw away every article of clothing I have that clashes with turquoise," Maura stated as she tied the end of the braid with a ponytail holder. She pushed the braid over Jane's shoulder and began to run her hands over defined muscles.

"What about if I killed someone?" Jane asked as her finger began to trace idle patterns on one of Maura's legs.

"I would help you dispose of the body and any evidence linking you to the crime."

"What if I decided to become totally celibate?"

"Your name would still be the one I called out as I pleasured myself," Maura admitted.

"And if I became a totally insatiable, kinky sex machine?"

"I would consider asking you to quit your job as I do the same so we could explore your kinky sex side," Maura grinned.

"What if I hurt you like pop hurt Ma?"

"You won't."

"But wha-"

"You won't," Maura repeated in a firm voice to let Jane know there was no room for discussion. "Why all the what ifs?"

"Just curious, I guess," Jane replied.

"I'll ask you right now," Maura whispered as she slid her arms around Jane's midsection and rested her chin on a tan shoulder. "I'll ask you right now to spend the rest of our lives together and we can take a long lunch on Monday to go to the court house."

"You don't have to do that," Jane countered.

"I would if that's what it took to prove to you that I will never leave you. Because regardless of the fact that we will fight and my Google Mouth annoys you like your knuckle cracking annoys me, I believe in us. And I will fight for us as long as you let me," Maura said.

"I know you will," Jane said. "But still. We couldn't go to the court house on Monday."

"I have connections that I'm fairly certain could get us in reasonably quickly," Maura replied.

"Nope," Jane said as she moved the finger that was once tracing patterns on Maura's leg to begin tracing up and down the ring finger of Maura's left hand.

"Why not?"

"Cuz the ring I've got picked out for you will take more than, like, a day and a half to arrive and will certainly take more than a day and a half to pay for," Jane smiled.

"You do not have a ring picked out!" Maura gasped.

"According to your father I do," Jane noted.

"What does it look like?" Maura asked, bringing Jane with her as she relaxed more fully against the back of the tub.

"I don't have, like, a real ring picked out," Jane tried to explain. "I just have some ideas that I'd like to use to make an entirely custom Maura Isles ring."

"What are the ideas you have?" Maura asked, a smile on her face as she began to imagine a wedding with Jane as her bride.

"I'm not telling you."

"Well then I won't tell you the ideas I have for your ring, either."

* * *

"I'm disappointed in you, Jane."

"What?" Jane asked, eyes wide in terror as she turned to look at Richard.

"Angela mentioned that we might be treated to bunny shaped pancakes at our home made brunch yet the only pancakes I see are of the circular variety," Richard said as his face broke into a grin.

Neither Maura nor her mother could contain their laughter at Jane's terrified look or at Richard's teasing.

"I'm about to have a heart attack and you're laughing at me?" Jane asked, turning to a laughing Maura.

Maura shook her head.

"You are gonna get hives and I am not gonna take care of you," Jane huffed.

Maura simply tilted her head and raised an eyebrow at Jane, letting the detective know she didn't believe a word she said.

Giving the blonde a final glare, Jane turned back to Richard and Constance.

"I'm sorry for the lack of bunny pancakes," she apologized. "I promise to make you as many bunny pancakes as you want the next time we're together.

"Which we have penciled in for Christmas, pending Richard's sister's health stays steady and we can leave her without worrying she will worsen," Constance smiled.

"And even if you can't come to Boston for the holiday, we'll still open each other's gifts via Skype, yes?"

"Correct," Richard smiled.

"And I'll put in my request for time off to take a vacation to wherever you guys want in the early summer," Jane noted as they began to eat their food.

"Richard and I were discussing that last night, actually," Constance began. "He suggested we meet in Italy for our time together. A few days in Rome, some time in Venice, a trip to The Vatican."

"Not even the Isles family jet could hold all of the food I would bring home from that trip," Jane stgated. "But aside from that, I think it would be amazing to go to Italy."

"You both laugh but what Jane says is true," Maura pointed out. "Angela would give us both a list several feet long of items to bring back from Italy."

"The jet could always make two trips," Richard grinned.

"Do not encourage her," Maura laughed as Jane pumped a fist excitedly in the air.

Jane happily continued to eat her brunch as she watched Maura and her parents passionately discuss their past travels and places they wanted to show Jane. She always loved watching Maura laugh freely and smile widely but in that moment as the doctor interacted with her parents in a way she only dreamed of before, Jane felt that her beauty was even more radiant.

They worked to clear the table in tandem, giving Richard and Constance time to digest their meal before a long flight back to Europe. Sooner than any of them would have wanted, however, they found themselves standing in front of Maura's car outside of the airport preparing to say goodbye.

"These past few days have been the best of my year," Constance said as she stood before Jane and Maura. "I mean than sincerely, my dear," she insisted when she saw Maura's hesitant smile. "I feel as though I have been given the most incredible gift in the world thanks to you, Jane."

"What gift is that?" Maura asked, wondering what Jane had given her mother.

Constance looked at Jane and gave her a small nod.

"It's you," Jane smiled as she squeezed Maura's hand. "Your mother is saying that you are the greatest gift in the world."

Maura dropped Jane's hand immediately and moved to embrace her mother rightly, smiling widely when her mother returned the embrace. She turned to her father and gave him an embrace of equal strength.

"I'll go wait in the car," Jane offered gently. "Give you three time to say goodbyes in private," she explained before giving Constance a quick hug.

"There is a saying that you have not truly lived until you have done something for someone for which they never can repay you," Constance said as she held Jane's gaze. "You are truly living, Jane, because I will never be able to repay you for all you have given Maura."

"No repayment necessary," Jane smiled before she turned to Richard. "Hand shake or-"

"Get over here," Richard laughed as he held his arms open. When they separated, he discreetly handed her a small envelope. "Just a bit of leisurely Sunday reading for you."

"Thank you," Jane smiled as she accepted the envelope. "Both of you have a safe and relaxing flight home, okay?" she said. "Take your time saying goodbyes cuz I brought my badge to flash in case anyone gets uppity about me being parked here," she added with a wink.

"She's a keeper," Richard stated once Jane was seating in the car with the heat on.

"She's the best thing that's ever happened to me," Maura admitted.

"The way she looks at you is as though you are the best thing that has ever happened to her as well," Constance pointed out.

"I promised myself that I wouldn't become overly emotional while saying goodbye to you both," Maura said while fighting the lump forming in her throat.

"Have I said something wrong?" Constance asked.

"Not at all," Maura reassured her mother. "It's just…It's a leap of faith right now. To trust that when you both depart, the forward momentum we have achieved will continue."

"Especially since the past shows us rejecting any forward momentum," Richard noted sadly. "But you took a leap of faith with Jane and look how wonderfully that turned out."

"Doesn't make the initial leap any less frightening," Maura chuckled.

"I know that our actions are more powerful than words but I do hope you'll believe me when I say your father and I are determined to change our ways."

"I love you," was all Maura could say.

"We love you, too," Richard smiled as he held one arm out to beckon his daughter in for a hug.

Jane looked up from her cellphone just in time to see all three Isles family members embracing in what she was certain was their first family group hug. Maura received a kiss from each of her parents and wished them a safe flight and Jane watched as her girlfriend waited until her parents were out of sight before climbing into the passenger seat.

"They told me they loved me," Maura said with a smile on her lips. "I'm not sure if I can remember the last time they said those words to me in a way that had me believing them like I did just now."

"That's so amazing, Maura," Jane beamed. "I really think things are gonna keep going up for you three."

"Thanks in large part to you," Maura stated as Jane pulled away from the airport.

"Nah," Jane disagreed. "I just sent them an email a few weeks ago. The rest of the credit goes all to you."

"There is no way I will ever be able to thank you enough for sending that email, though," Maura stated. "It was simple yes, but it brought me so much. So much happiness and love and hope."

"Well, maybe there's another way you could thank me," Jane said with a smirk. "And it involves novelty items and online shopping."

* * *

_Dear Jane,_

_I have spent many nights toiling over this letter. I wish to be the father who promises that, should my daughter have her heart broken by you, I will waste no time in breaking your arms in revenge. But, alas, it is her biological father who is the mob boss and not I._

_More than anything, though, I have no right to tell you to treat my Maura right and love her wholly and with all the dedication and passion she deserves. I never did that for her. Never gave her the love she deserved or wanted. I have absolutely no right to be her overbearing, overprotective father because as I write this letter the night before leaving Boston after spending several wonderful days with my daughter, I am only now just earning the title of father._

_In time I may earn the right to demand you treat Maura right and promise you pain should you hurt my daughter in any way but for now…For now I officially give you the Father Seal of Approval._

_Your future father in law,_  
_Richard Isles_

* * *

**I do hope you've enjoyed this installment! And, as always, if you have any scenes you would like to see incorporated into this fic, lemme know!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Literally smut of the smuttiest variety can be found in the first section of this chapter. If that's your thing, great! If not, feel free to skip to the second section.**

* * *

"I dunno if the flesh colored ones or the bright ones freak me out more," Jane admitted as she and Maura sat snuggled against their headboard with Maura's laptop open between them on Sunday night.

"How about we look for a harness first?" Maura suggested. "Ease into the purchases."

"Yeah, okay," Jane nodded as she turned the laptop slightly so Maura could access the mouse pad and bring them to the page for strap on harnesses. "Which one do you like?" she asked.

"I think your preferences are more important since you'll be wearing it the majority of the time," Maura noted.

"So I pick out the harness and you pick out the…other part?"

"With input from each other, yes," Maura smiled. "How's that sound?"

"Manageable," Jane laughed softly. "I think that one looks most comfortable," she added as she pointed to a harness that was, simply described, a pair of black briefs with a resting place for the attachment.

"I agree," Maura nodded as she quickly found the correct size for Jane and added the first item to their cart. "May I make a suggestion?"

"Always."

"What do you think of this option?" Maura asked as she pulled a traditional harness up onto the screen.

"Uh, it looks pretty standard?" Jane said softly.

"How about now?" Maura asked as she clicked on another view of the harness. "It has a bullet attached that has a vibration option to add stimulation to your clit."

"Oh."

"That way," Maura murmured as she turned to whisper in Jane's ear teasingly, "you can come while deep inside of me. Is that something you'd like to experience?"

Jane wordlessly reached over to the mouse pad and added the harness to their cart, feeling her arousal begin to build.

"Let's pick out my part next," Maura said happily. "You mentioned not liking flesh colored ones or vibrant colors but what about a black one?"

"I think I'm gonna feel awkward the first couple of times no matter what color we choose," Jane pointed out before lowering her voice a bit. "So how about you pick whichever one you want inside of you the most."

Attempting to subtly press her thighs together to keep her arousal at bay, Maura's eyes scanned the page in front of her before pulling up an moderately sized black phallus equipped to fit both harnesses they'd already added to their cart.

"Look at that review," Jane murmured when a particular comment left by a previous customer caught her eye.

"Glistens when wet," Maura read breathlessly. "I want this one," she stated firmly.

"Hell yeah," Jane grinned, her face falling a moment later. "Can, I, uh, show you something I might be interested in?"

"Of course, sweetheart," Maura smiled as she gave control of the laptop to Jane who nervously began perusing the online store, eyes darkened with arousal.

"This," Jane said as she showed Maura the double ended dildo she'd spotted on the home page and pulled up. "I know I'm still in the beginner stage of this and this might be a bit more for those who are in the advanced stage but-"

"We're getting it," Maura interrupted as the image of she and Jane connected in such an intimate way flashed in her mind. "Is there anything else that caught your eye? I did promise to take you lingerie shopping, didn't I?"

"All the stuff here is costume-y," Jane said as she shook her head. "Besides, in order to fully enjoy the lingerie shopping experience, you'd have to model everything for me before we decide on what to purchase."

"I'll make an appointment for us at La Perla," Maura grinned as she pulled the laptop fully into her lap to begin placing their order. As she typed, Jane scooted down a few inches to begin placing open mouthed kisses down her neck, raking her teeth over pale skin on occasion.

"I know I wasn't in the mood for this earlier in the bathtub but now I seem to be ready," Jane murmured against a pale neck.

"I can tell," Maura sighed as she tilted her head to the side to give Jane better access, willing her computer to finalize the purchase quicker. One the purchase was confirmed, she all but slammed her laptop shut and slid it under her bed. "Come here," she commanded as she slid onto her back and tugged Jane atop her.

Just when Jane settled atop Maura, the doctor wove her hands through dark curls and quickly pulled their lips together. Teeth nipped as lips, tongues darted to cover as much territory as possible, and hands began to roam feverishly.

"You said in the bathtub that you call my name when you fuck yourself," Jane murmured as she felt Maura's lips begin to trail down her jawline.

"I do," Maura confirmed.

"I wanna watch."

"What?"

"I wanna watch you touch yourself," Jane clarified as she locked eyes with Maura. "I wanna watch the way you get yourself off while picturing me. Is that an okay thing to ask?" She added the last part softly, a touch a nerves hidden in her voice.

"That is very okay," Maura smiled. "Go into my closet where my items are kept and bring me the purple one."

With one last eager kiss, Jane slid from their bed and quickly entered the closet to bring the requested item out. It was a light purple dildo with swirling beads near the top half. A small rabbit sat nestled at the base and Jane tugged her pajamas off right in the closet before re-emerging to join Maura.

"Jesus Christ," she breathed when she was greeted with the sight of a naked Maura on her hands and knees, one hand holding her up as the other pinched her right nipple to jumpstart her arousal.

"Is this an acceptable position, detective?" Maura asked, turning to look at Jane over her shoulder.

"Perfectly acceptable," Jane grinned as she climbed onto the bed and pressed her pelvis to Maura's ass, pulling Maura's hand away from her breast and placing the dildo into her hand. "Show me," she whispered in the doctor's ear. "Show me how you touch yourself when you're thinking of me."

Unable to verbally respond, Maura simply guided the toy down to her folds and began to run it up and down, collecting wetness and preparing for the intrusion. She sighed happily as she felt Jane drape her thin body over Maura's and begin to kiss any skin she could reach.

Her sigh turned into a long moan as she fluidly slid the entire length of the toy inside of her, fighting the urge to turn the small vibrating rabbit on until her body was ready. The fight was lost, however, when she felt her favorite pair of hands come up to cup her breasts and begin to massage and tweak them lovingly.

With a flick of her finger, the rabbit began to vibrate teasingly against her clit with every inward thrust of the dildo. Her gasps and moans were steady, unable to be held back as she lost herself in the familiar fantasy of what it might be like to have Jane the one behind the steady and powerful thrusts in and out of her.

Minutes later, she whimpered when Jane's left hand abandoned her breast. The disappointment at the loss of touch was short lived, however, as she felt that same hand swat Maura's away from the dildo and take over total control of the toy.

"Yes!" Maura gasped as she fully realized she was not in her long held fantasy. She wasn't alone on her bed and it was Jane's steady hand that kept the dildo moving in and out of her at an ever quickening pace.

"Do you want it faster?" Jane asked, nipping at the sensitive skin below Maura's ear as she waited for a response.

"Faster," Maura begged. "Harder," she added as she felt the first swelling of her orgasm begin. "Just…more!" she gasped, clutching at the comforter for fear she might float away.

"Say my name," Jane commanded as she followed Maura's commands and moved her hand faster and with more power, loving how the doctor's body responded to her.

"Jane!" Maura called out when a particularly hard thrust hit deep inside of her. "Right there," she moaned. "Right fucking there."

Jane knew the woman beneath her was close. When Maura swore, it was only a matter of time before climax overtook her body. Knowing this, Jane thrust the dildo deep into Maura into the spot she so clearly loved and, with a guess, hit the button to amp up both the vibrations against a straining clit and the swirling beads inside the phallus.

It took only a minute of the constant vibrations on her clit for Maura's orgasm to slam into her, Jane's name flying from her lips as she was once again reminded her fantasy was actually her reality. Her arms were unable to hold her body up anymore and she fell to the bed, Jane atop her as the toy continued its movements inside of her.

"Oh, god," she cried as she felt a second orgasm begin to form as the first barely passed.

"I can turn it off," Jane said quickly as she tried to move her hand that was trapped between the bed and Maura, knowing how sensitive Maura's body must have been.

"No!" Maura gasped, her hips beginning to rock as she began to grind against the bed and, thus, the toy still nestled inside of her. She continued to rock against the bed, her face turned to the side so she could breathe. Jane watched mesmerized as her love rocked beneath her, bringing her body back up to another orgasm. A few moments later, Maura's body tensed tightly below Jane before going entirely limp.

When Maura was able to sort through the haze in her mind, she kept her eyes closed to notice a variety of sensations. She was on her back, not her front, and the empty feeling between her legs reminded her of what used to be there. She noticed a cool wash cloth was resting on her forehead and a warm one was dabbing at her thighs and slit.

"You're such a sweetheart," the blonde murmured, her eyes remaining shut.

"And you're alive!"

"I wasn't out for that long, was I?" Maura asked, opening her eyes to look at Jane as she finished wiping Maura off.

"Nah," Jane smiled as she set the washcloth onto the dry towel she'd set on the bedside table and moved to look at Maura's face. "You were out solid for maybe 30 seconds, while I managed to shut the toy off. Then you mumbled some French, grabbed a pillow, and snuggled with it. You looked so content with that pillow but I also wanted to make sure you were okay. And cleaned up," she added.

"La petit mort _and_ female ejaculation?" Maura asked, propping herself on her elbows to look down her body.

"The first one, yes," Jane replied. "I don't think the second one. I mean, you came pretty hard and your thighs were pretty wet but I don't think it was _that _good."

"Oh."

"Have you ever experienced that?"

"Not me personally, no," Maura answered as she pulled the washcloth from her forehead and set it with the others, rolling onto her side to snuggle with Jane. "I've caused it with partners but never had them trigger that reaction to my body."

"Well, then we'll add that to our Sexy Bucket List," Jane grinned as she kissed the crown of Maura's head.

"Sexy Bucket List?" Maura asked.

"Yeah. Like a normal Bucket List, only for the sexy stuff," Jane explained. "Getting you to squirt, using a strap on, sex on the beach, sex as a married couple, maybe some office sexy times. Ya know. That sorta stuff."

"I wasn't aware we had a Sex Bucket List," Maura mused. "But I am very, very glad that now I do know."

"Me, too," Jane smiled. "I'm gonna put the washcloths in the hamper if you wanted to get under the covers and ready for bed."

Nodding, Maura rolled away from Jane and slid under the covers, not in any desire to put on clothing or feel anything between she and Jane. When the detective slid back into bed and they cuddled into position, Jane couldn't help the smile on her face.

"We shoulda put a rush on those things we ordered," she grinned.

"I selected two day shipping."

* * *

Maura had just hit the print button for her reports at the end of the day when a familiar voice teased her from the doorway.

"Hey, I've got a hot date tonight so I was wondering if you could feed and walk Jo for me?"

"A hot date?" Maura smiled, looking up from her computer to see Jane leaning against her doorframe.

"Yup," Jane grinned. "Ya see, there's this super hot doctor I've had my eyes on for as long as I can remember and I was hoping to take her out tonight. Surprise her with something nice and romantic."

"She must be very special if you're willing to be romantic in public with her."

"She's the most special thing in my life," Jane admitted. "So, you'll take care of Jo while I'm out wooing my hot doctor?"

"You're lucky I've gotten used to your sense of humor," Maura laughed as she stood from behind her desk and walked to Jane.

"Oh, trust me, I know how lucky I am," Jane grinned as she kissed Maura softly. "So, are you okay with me taking you out tonight? I know it's short notice but that's the point of a surprise and you look like you're done for the day."

"Just need to sign a few things and I'll be all done," Maura noted. "Am I dressed appropriately for the surprise?"

"You're always dressed appropriately," Jane teased as she ran her hands up and down Maura's sides, the silk of her red blouse easing her movements. "I've gotta run upstairs and wrap up but I'll meet you in the lobby in a few minutes?"

"Sounds good," Maura smiled, stepping away from Jane's arms and moving to finish her last minute tasks to meet with Jane as soon as possible.

A few minutes later, the pair was walking hand in hand towards Maura's Prius bundled up to protect themselves from the winter air.

"Is there a particular reason you've decided to surprise me with a date tonight?" Maura asked once they were situated in the car and Jane was maneuvering them through rush hour traffic.

"Nope," Jane grinned. "I mean, other than the fact we decided to try and do something couple-y once a week and you deserve something special every now and then."

"Thank you," Maura said softly, giving Jane's gloved hand a gentle squeeze with hers.

"Don't thank me yet," Jane warned. "Despite wearing pants today, you might freeze to death tonight."

"So we're going to be outside?"

"You're not getting anything else outta me," Jane said, shaking her head at Maura's prompting. "I said tonight was a surprise and that's what it's gonna be."

"I love you," Maura stated as she looked at Jane's profile, a soft smile on the detective's face.

"I love you, too," Jane smiled before pulling into a parking space and shutting the car off. "We're here!"

"The Common?" Maura asked, looking out the window at the busier than average Common before her.

"Mmhmm," Jane nodded as she grabbed a large fleece blanket from the back seat before exiting the car. When Maura came up to her side, she unfolded the blanket and draped it over she and Maura's shoulders, effectively trapping them close together. "It's December 1st, which means tonight they're gonna light the giant Christmas tree by the ice skating rink and the first open skate will happen."

Maura stopped walking, turning her body to look directly at Jane, a wide smile on her face at what Jane was doing.

"You gonna say something or just keep staring at me?" Jane asked with a wink.

"I'm not sure I can say anything," Maura breathed. "This is so kind of you, Jane."

"We used to do this all the time as kids," Jane explained. "Ma and Pop would drive us here with thermoses full of hot cocoa and sit in the car with a view of the tree as the three of us skated all over the rink and watched the tree lighting. We'd come back into the car when we were numb and drink the cocoa on the way home."

"You don't still do that?" Maura asked, wrapping an arm around Jane's midsection as they began to walk towards the crowd around the tree.

"We try but it's been hard to get everyone together again," Jane admitted. "Tommy was in jail, me or Frankie was working all the time, ya know."

"Is your family going to be sad they missed-"

"Aunt Jay! Auntie Mo-wa!"

Maura was interrupted at the familiar voice, looking up to see TJ perched on top of Tommy's shoulders to give him a view above the crowd. Surrounding the toddler were Frankie, Angela, Frost, Cavanaugh, and Korsak all bundled up against the chill.

"_Our _family wouldn't miss your first Common tree lighting and ice skating excursion for the world," Jane grinned.

The doctor placed a quick kiss to Jane's smiling lips before eagerly walking towards the group with Jane, accepting the hot cocoa from Angela.

"You gonna skate with us after they light up the tree?" TJ asked from his place above Tommy. "I brought my turtle skates I got for Christmas last year to wear!"

"I would love to skate with you," Maura smiled up at the toddler.

"My daddy was telling me about how he would always fall down when he tried to skate but I practiced real hard last year and I think I'm gonna be better than he was," TJ grinned.

"You're gonna be so much better than your daddy," Jane teased as she looked at Tommy. "And Uncle Frankie. He liked to fall down a lot, too."

"Only cuz you pushed me!" Frankie tried to protest.

"Decades later and they're still the same," Angela laughed as her children began to bicker.

Just as TJ's legs began to kick from giggles at his family's antics, a man come onto the makeshift stage by the tree to begin the same speech given every year. He spoke for a few minutes, the three Rizzoli siblings looking to each other and mouthing the corny words while Maura stood at rapt attention, her grip around Jane's waist never faltering.

The man on the podium began a countdown from 10, the crowd joining in until the last number was reached and the large tree began to shimmer with flickering lights, round ornaments in glittery colors, and an ornate star on its top.

"It's magical."

Jane turned upon hearing Maura's soft exhalation, a smile on both of their faces.

"No science-y explanation? Just gonna say that it's magical?" Jane asked.

"That's the only appropriate word to use," Maura replied as she looked to Jane. "Being here with you and your family-"

"Our family."

"Being here with our family is the most magical thing I've ever experienced," Maura smiled. "It's like, despite the frigid temperatures and lack of sunlight, I've never felt this warm in all my life. And magic might be the only way to describe that."

"I know I've said I love it when you talk science to me, but you talkin' magic to me is pretty great, too," Jane said as she kissed Maura's forehead. "You wanna rent some skates and help me sabotage my brothers?"

"I'm not certain how I feel about sabotage, but I would love to rent skates with you."

After finishing their hot cocoa and dropping their stuff off with Angela who volunteered to sit on the bench and take a few photos of the group, Jane, Maura, Frankie, Tommy, and TJ were heading to the rental booth.

"It's been a while since I was on skates," Maura warned as she and Jane made their way to the ice rink, the others walking ahead of them.

"Me, too," Jane said as she squeezed Maura's hand. "But I'll keep you upright if you keep me upright."

"Deal," Maura laughed as they watched TJ happily grab at the small walkers that were given to children and allow Tommy to push him around the ice.

"Ready?" Jane asked, stepping out onto the ice gingerly and waiting for Maura to join her.

The doctor followed Jane onto the ice, both women staying near the wall until muscle memory began to kick in and their movements became easier. They didn't exchange many words, opting simply to hold hands and watch as others around them flew around the ice.

When Tommy fell after being run into by TJ and appeared to be injured, Maura looked to Jane who immediately nodded her head and allowed her girlfriend to glide towards her bother, kneeling down to assess his wrist for damage. She watched as Maura interacted with TJ, the toddler acting as her assistant and giving his father a kiss on the wrist, before standing up and turning to skate towards Jane.

As the doctor grew closer to Jane, who was relaxing against the side wall, Jane realized she wasn't slowing down in her approach.

"Oof!" Jane gasped when Maura collided with her after slowing down only minimally.

"Sorry," Maura grinned as she rubbed her nose with Jane's. "Just wanted to be as close to you as possible."

"And you couldn't do that in a way that didn't require colliding with me?" Jane chuckled, though she let go of the wall she held on to for support and wrapped her arms around Maura's waist.

"I suppose I could have, but this was more fun."

"You wanna head out?" Jane asked. "I think we have the stuff to make hot toddies at home and can roast marshmallows over the fireplace."

"I like the way you think, detective."

* * *

**Love to hear your thoughts!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Mainly a filler chapter but just something to get us closer to Rizzles holiday fun!**

* * *

"Jane."

"Maura."

"It's December 2nd."

"And…?"

"And we really need to talk about what we're doing in terms of Christmas gifts this year."

"Mauraaaa."

"Don't whine at me like that," Maura chastised as she looked up from the pot of chili she was preparing the night after their tree lighting outing. "We need to discuss if we're giving joint gifts to your family and mine or if we're doing individual gifts. Plus I feel we should discuss the gift giving between us."

"Fine," Jane sighed as she took a long draw from her beer bottle. "I had an idea for what we could do for my Ma that I was gonna bring up anyways."

"What is your idea?" Maura smiled as she looked up towards her detective.

"I thought maybe we could both pitch in to get her, like, a weekend spa retreat or something," Jane said. "Let her know we want to give her a weekend to relax and treat herself like she never does."

"That's a wonderful idea!" Maura grinned. "I think Angela would love that very much. But perhaps we could give her a physical gift, as well? Maybe a nice photo frame with a certain photo she's been begging me for?"

"You two are in cahoots and I know it," Jane said as she glared at Maura. "But, yes, I give you permission to give my mother a copy of our first date photo."

"Thank you," Maura smiled as she walked to where Jane sat at the kitchen island and kissed her cheek. "My parents may be a bit harder to find a gift for, though."

"Is it weird that I wanna do individual gifts to your folks but a joint one to my ma?" Jane asked. "Like, I had an idea for something I wanted to get your mother and your father. From me."

"Really?"

"Yeah," Jane admitted. "I'm not sure why I feel like that."

"Doesn't matter why you feel that way," Maura shrugged as she returned to the stove to ladle chili into two bowls for she and Jane. "If you'd like to give them individual gifts, then that's what we'll do."

"You're the best," Jane smiled as she stood up to follow Maura to the dining room table. "And now comes the tough part. Talking about gifts we're getting each other."

"I'm sorry that our difference in income makes you self-conscious and uncomfortable," Maura apologized, reaching a hand out to cover Jane's. "If you'd like, we don't have to exchange any gifts."

"What?"

"We could simply enjoy typical holiday traditions together like finding the perfect tree, decorating it, making love by the fireplace with the tree lights flickering in the background…"

"Uh, yes, yes, and yes to all three of those things but no to not exchanging gifts," Jane smiled. "I've already got an idea forming in my head for a present for you and I ain't gonna let it go!"

"I've already got an idea for one of your presents, too," Maura said with a smile. "Perhaps we could set a limit? Either a price limit or an item limit so it's balanced?" Maura suggested.

"I like that plan," Jane replied. "Is three items an okay limit to have?"

"I think three gifts is a perfect number," Maura grinned.

"Can we make it a bit more interesting?"

"How so?"

"One of the gifts has to be home made," Jane said with a crooked smile.

"You do know that I'm hardly a crafty person, correct?" Maura asked.

"Yup," Jane said as she pulled her hand from Maura's to begin eating her dinner. "It doesn't have to be a Picasso or Da Vinci or something like that," she laughed. "Just something goofy or small that you made yourself."

"I think I can manage that," Maura smiled as she began to eat her bowl of chili.

"I know you can," Jane reassured the doctor. "Now, about that whole sex by the Christmas tree idea…"

* * *

A heavy sigh fell from Maura's lips when she walked to her front door late the next day to see the plain brown box sitting on her porch. Jane had been sent home from the station in the middle of the day and, with almost total certainty, Maura knew the products they had ordered wouldn't be put to use that day.

The doctor picked up the package as she entered their house, shedding her coat before moving to feed Bass and Jo their dinners. As she pulled open the pantry to search for a dinner for she and Jane, she became aware of the sound of muffled music coming from the downstairs work out room. Remembering how upset Korsak had told Maura the brunette had been, Maura wasted no time before walking into the basement to peak into the room.

Angry music blasted through the speakers as Jane stood in spandex shorts and a sports bra, the tape on her hands already as grimy as the rest of the sweaty detective's body. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, giving Maura a clear view of the pain that hit Jane's face with every punch to the humanoid dummy in front of the panting detective.

Quickly formulating a plan, Maura stepped away from the doorway and made her way to her bedroom. She pulled off her work dress and slid into a cobalt blue lace teddy with matching panties. The cups of the teddy had wires to increase the appearance of her cleavage and she smiled at herself in the mirror. Applying a few extra spritzes of perfume and dramatizing her eyeliner, Maura pulled the traditional style harness and silicon attachment from their packaging and slid into her heels.

Once back in the doorway to the personal gym, Maura called out to her detective.

"Jane," she called, trying her best to keep her promise of leaving Jane's personal space to herself and not entering without permission. "Jane!" she called again after the detective continued to punch angrily at the dummy.

Sighing, Maura sauntered into the room and grabbed the sound system remote, turning it down to a more reasonable level.

"Jane," she tried again, moving slowly into Jane's line of sight. "You're going to hurt yourself," she noted gently.

"Don't care," Jane growled as she kept her eyes glued to the dummy and imagined her troubles manifesting themselves onto the form.

"I care," Maura said as she moved to stand behind Jane and rake her nails down a straining back. "Although, with what came in the mail today, your hands will be getting a rest tonight," she commented.

"What?" Jane said, spinning around without warning to look at Maura.

The doctor couldn't help but gasp at the mixture of absolute fire and absolute pain in her girlfriend's eyes.

"The toys came in the mail," Maura explained in a low voice as she held the harness with attached toy up in one of her hands. "And I do believe that putting this on and putting it to use is on me is a far better way to manage your frustration than causing painful injury to your hands."

"So, what?" Jane asked, her voice feisty. "You want me to strap one on and use you as some sorta cheap whore who helps me unwind after a tough day?"

"You're not using me if I freely offer myself to you," Maura insisted as she took a step forward to press her lace covered body to Jane's sweat covered one, nuzzling the hot skin in front of her. "I even got dressed up for you," Maura purred as she took Jane's hands in her own and slipped them onto her ass.

Jane roughly pulled her hands away from Maura's ass and clenched her hands into fists, spinning away from the doctor and beginning to punch the dummy once again.

"Dammit, Jane! Talk to me! We were perfectly fine last night and on our way to the station this morning but when I came to ask you about lunch, I had to hear from Barold that you'd been ordered to come home!" Maura snapped. "And you've shut your phone off and I would really like it if you told me what the hell is wrong!"

"It was the father," Jane whispered, her hands coming to rest on the dummy's shoulders.

"What?" Maura breathed, still shocked at her own outburst.

"The case Korsak and Frost caught on Saturday that they'd been bringing me up to speed with since I'd had the past few days off to be with your folks and stuff," Jane said. "The two Harvard students who were killed. Lily and Samantha."

"One of their fathers was responsible?" Maura asked, still not caught up on the entire case due to being away during the autopsy.

"Lily's was," Jane said. "Lily and Samantha came to her family's house for Thanksgiving and to announce they were engaged…" the brunette explained, suddenly feeling her exhaustion hit.

"Oh, Jane," Maura sighed as she moved to quickly wrap her arms around the taller woman's torso from behind, the harness and toy dropping to the floor. "He killed them because of their love, didn't he?"

"He killed them," Jane breathed, her shoulders sagging under the weight of saying those words out loud and feeling them hit her in more ways than she'd like.

"I would kill Frank myself before he could even think of harming you," Maura stated as she placed a soft kiss to the sweaty skin of Jane's upper back.

"I thought I could handle it," Jane sighed. "But Korsak knew I couldn't. Got me outta the interrogation room and sent me home."

"And then I tried to throw myself at you before snapping at you," Maura said sadly. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Jane soothed as she spun around in Maura's arms. "You look…God, you look perfect," she complimented as she took in the straining material over Maura's breasts. "But I don't want anything we do in terms of sex to be tainted by memories of my father."

"Neither do I," Maura agreed as she reached for Jane's left hand and began to gently unwrap the tape. "Oh, sweetheart," she murmured upon seeing the redness and inflammation of her girlfriend's knuckles.

"I'm gonna be absolutely useless at work tomorrow," Jane sighed, allowing Maura to begin unwrapping her right hand.

"I have a cream that may help with the inflammation," Maura mused as she assessed the second hand before looking up at Jane's defeated face. "Please tell me what's been going on inside of your head all day," she requested.

"I was angry," Jane said, keeping her eyes away from Maura's soft gaze. "I was angry at Lily's father for murdering his daughter and future daughter in law. I was angry at my father for being an asshole and walking away from me. I was angry at myself for letting this stuff affect me so much."

"You'd be a far less successful detective if you didn't let these things affect you," Maura noted. "As well as be a far less successful human being," she added before lifting a hand up to direct Jane's gaze to her own. "Why did you shut your phone off? Shut me out?"

"I was trying to protect you."

"From what, sweetheart?"

"From the pain I knew that this case would bring up for you," Jane sighed. "You would put your brilliant mind into overdrive and start blaming yourself for making me gay. Or you'd start thinking that it's your fault my father left me because, if it weren't for you, I'd still think I was a hundred percent straight. Then you'd start to think about how you put me in danger, either from a homicidal father or from bigots on the street. And you'd beat yourself up."

When Maura remained silent, Jane gave the doctor a soft smile.

"I know you just as well as you know me," she said. "You may be the Jane Whisperer but I'm the Maura Whisperer and that's just as legit."

Giving the detective a soft smile of her own, Maura pressed her lips gently to Jane's.

"I love that you feel the need to protect me but I would love it if you allowed me to protect you once in a while," Maura murmured when they pulled apart.

"But-"

"We're equals, Jane. Remember?"

"I remember," Jane nodded. "Can we go upstairs?"

"Of course," Maura smiled before looping her arm with Jane's, aware of the sore hands, and guiding them both away from the workout room.

Walking into their bedroom, Maura guided Jane to sit at the edge of the bed before disappearing into the en suite bathroom. She reappeared a minute later with her hair pulled into a loose ponytail and a small tin of cream.

"I'll apply the cream and then go downstairs to get you some ice packs and pain relievers," Maura explained before slipping her heels off and kneeling in front of Jane.

"You really do look great," Jane said as she watched Maura scoop a dollop of cream from the tin and begin to gently rub it over sore knuckles.

"Thank you," Maura smiled. "I know your favorite color is purple but this was the closest I could get."

"Maybe when we go shopping for lingerie you can get a purple set," Jane suggested, her eyes fluttering closed at Maura's gentle touches.

"And you can get a set in my favorite color," Maura teased gently.

"Maybe."

"Am I hurting you?" Maura murmured as she placed Jane's left hand on the bed and lifted the right one to rub cream onto it.

Jane simply shook her head.

"We could take sick days tomorrow," Maura suggested.

Another shake of the head.

"How can I best help you, then?" Maura questioned. "Let me in and let me protect you, Jane."

"Can we just crawl into bed early tonight?" Jane said after a moment of thought. "Without clothes?" she added softly.

"What?" Maura smiled. "I thought you liked my outfit."

Jane gave a small eye roll.

"You know I do. I'm not blind," she noted. "I just wanna feel you. That's how you can help me."

"How about you get under the covers and comfortable while I let Jo out and grab you some ice packs?"

"I'm all sweaty and gross," Jane pointed out as she looked down at her sweat dampened workout clothing.

"I planned to wash the bedding tomorrow anyways," Maura smiled before standing up and placing a lingering kiss to Jane's forehead. "I'll even order a pizza with extra pepperoni on it and allow us to eat in bed," she smiled as she walked from the bedroom towards the kitchen.

When she returned a few minutes later it was with a large glass of water, bottle of pain relievers, and two ice packs.

"I thought of something else you could do to help me," Jane murmured as she sat propped up against the headboard, blankets pulled up to cover her chest and hands resting above the comforter at her sides.

"Name it," Maura smiled as she gently arranged the ice packs on each of Jane's hands to reduce inflammation.

"Be big spoon tonight?" the detective asked, keeping her eyes closed.

"Leave those ice packs on until your pizza arrives and you've got yourself a deal."

* * *

The next morning, Maura was quick to shut off their alarm clock before Jane could reach out with her still red hands to do it herself.

"Thank you," the detective rasped after feeling the woman behind her resume her protective snuggling.

"No need to thank me," Maura smiled. "How are your hands feeling?"

The shoulders in front of her shrugged.

"Would you like to shower together so I can help you wash your hair? I'm sure it would be much more fun to sing Bohemian Rhapsody together instead of performing it solo like I know you love to do in the shower," Maura smiled.

"Are you making fun of me?"

"I would never do such a thing," Maura grinned before pressing her lips just behind Jane's ear. "And even if I was, I make fun of you from a place of love. Promise," she whispered.

"I know," Jane smiled. "And I think I'll take you up on your offer of a joint shower. But no funny business. We have work to get to."

"Me? Funny business?" Maura gasped. "You're the one who looks at me like you want to devour me while watching me perform an autopsy! I should be warning you!"

"You're the one who oogles at me from behind the glass when I'm interrogating perps!" Jane defended.

"You pouted when you had to keep things PG while my parents were in town."

"You pouted, too."

"You brought up wanting to introduce novelty items to our sex life."

"You bought them!"

"Truce?"

"Are we agreeing that both of our minds are in the gutter? Then, yeah, truce," Jane laughed. "Alright, let's get up. Time for the Rizzles duo to make their debut."

"Rizzles duo?" Maura asked as she pulled her arms away from Jane to sit up and stretch.

"Yeah, that's our name when we perform songs in the shower," Jane smiled. "Ya know how celebrity couples have weird nicknames that combine their names? Ours is Rizzles. Like a combination of Rizzoli and Isles."

"Is this something you've created or is our couple nickname something others are aware of?" Maura asked with a tilt of her head.

"I made it up but I wouldn't doubt that others at the station have some sorta nickname for us, too," Jane shrugged.

Maura made a non-committal sound before sliding from their bed and padding into the en suite to begin the shower for them. Jane appeared in the bathroom shortly after, setting her own iPod on the stereo system and selecting a playlist for them to listen to as they showered.

"Hope you don't mind that we won't be jamming to Queen today," she said before pressing play.

"What are we-"

_I've heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason  
Bringing something we must learn._

"You are absolutely perfect," Maura beamed as pulled Jane into the shower with her before kissing the taller woman happily. "And such a softie."

"Oh, hush," Jane smiled. "I just thought this was as good a song as any to sing a duet to."

"It is the perfect song for the Rizzles Duo to sing a duet to."

* * *

The song Jane plays for them in the shower is, for those who aren't aware, For Good from Wicked. Which was their first date.

The next chapters will feature the toys, holiday cheer, maybe a bit too much eggnog, and maybe other things if you have suggestions!


	20. Chapter 20

**Sorry it takes me so long to update. This whole two jobs thing is so much more than I'm able to handle. Plus my mental health sucks.**

**Full smut ahead.**

* * *

After a week of Maura tenderly massaging cream onto Jane's sore hands every morning and evening, the two women were walking towards Maura's Prius after ending their day just before 5pm.

"I think I've figured out how we can celebrate my hands actually working again," Jane stated as she helped steady Maura and her heels as the doctor slid into the car.

"Thank you," Maura smiled at Jane's chivalry, watching as the detective jogged to the driver's side to turn the heat on. "What is your celebratory idea?"

"We're gonna play in the snow," Jane grinned as she turned the car on. "Build a snow man, make snow angels, and maybe throw some snowballs at each other. Then snuggle up in front of the fireplace with hot cocoa."

"You do realize I will bundle both of us up like the child in that ridiculous Christmas movie you love so much?" Maura laughed.

"A Christmas Story!" Jane grinned. "And don't act like you don't love it, too."

"Maybe I'll get you a pink bunny suit for Christmas this year," Maura smiled.

"Do that and see how quickly I get you a leg lamp," Jane warned. "But for real. I wanna goof around in the back yard and just have fun with you."

"I would love that," Maura said as she reached over the console to take Jane's hand in hers. "But let me put some of the cream on before we go out and you have to promise to tell me when they start to hurt you."

"I knew you'd say that," Jane chuckled. "And I promise both of those things."

Lifting their clasped hands to her lips, Maura kissed the back of Jane's hand and gave her a smile.

* * *

The back yard to the women's house was deserted save for the matching snow men in the middle and the snow angels on the ground.

"Maura," Jane called sweetly as she held a snowball in her hands. "Come out, come out, wherever you are."

Jo's yaps were the only sounds heard.

"I'll call a truce if you come out and admit defeat," Jane grinned.

Just as she went to follow a pair of footprints leading to a snow covered shrub, Jane felt a mass collide with her and knock her to her back.

"Maura!" Jane yelped as she opened her eyes and saw the doctor beaming above her.

"What were you saying about me admitting defeat?" Maura asked as she settled her knees on either side of Jane's thighs and looked down at the detective.

"You just tackled me!" Jane laughed.

"I wanted to win the snowball fight," Maura stated with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Well, I think you did that," Jane replied.

"Good," Maura beamed before leaning down to kiss Jane's chilly lips. She nipped gently at Jane's lips, tugging on the bottom as she pulled away. "Maybe we should go inside and warm up," she murmured with a gentle rocking of her hips.

"Jesus," Jane gasped, nodding her head in agreement. "Yeah, let's go warm up."

Maura quickly rose to her feet and brushed the excess snow off her winter clothes before she offered her hand to help Jane stand. They laced their fingers together before entering their way into the house and making a beeline for the bedroom.

Their wet clothes had been shed in the bathroom, left in the tub without a second thought as Maura fell backwards onto the bed, laughing airily.

"You are so damn gorgeous," Jane nearly growled as she climbed above Maura, both of their skins tinted red from the cold.

"And you are exquisite," Maura praised as she brought a hand up to rake her nails up and down Jane's toned abs.

At the feeling of Maura's nails on her abs, Jane crashed her lips against the doctor's hungrily.

"Stay right here," Jane commanded when she finally pulled away from Maura's lips.

"Where are you going?" Maura breathed.

"You'll see," Jane smirked before rolling off Maura and disappearing into the closet, prompting a moan from Maura as the blonde realized what Jane was doing. She felt arousal begin to form between her legs and had no desire to stop the gush of arousal that hit her when Jane re-emerged with the traditional style harness on and toy erect between her legs.

"Oh, god," Maura moaned. "That is the sexiest thing I've ever seen."

"Glad you approve, doctor," Jane grinned as she resumed her post above Maura. "This one is bigger than the other ones you have," she said softly.

"I know," Maura replied as she tucked a curl behind Jane's ear. "You'll be deeper inside of me than anyone else ever has been."

"And than anyone ever will be."

"God, yes."

Sliding down to have her head level with Maura's chest, Jane gave the doctor a wink before enveloping Maura's right nipple in her mouth.

Maura gasped as she felt heat surrounding her sensitive nipples, her hands weaving through dark curls to keep Jane exactly where she wanted to. Jane smiled as she took the hardened nub between her teeth and pulled away gently, loving the way Maura arched her back to maintain contact for as long as possible before Jane let the nipple slip from between her teeth.

"Please, Jane," Maura pleaded as she felt Jane kiss her way towards the other nipple. "I need you now."

Abandoning the nub she'd only just begun to lavish attention to, Jane nipped her way up Maura's collarbone, neck, and onto parted lips.

"I can't wait anymore to feel you inside of me," Maura added as she reached down between their bodies to stroke the appendage lightly.

"Shit, I could get used to hearing that," Jane gasped as she felt the nub on the interior of the harness pressing deliciously against her clit. "Is this position okay?"

"Yes," Maura confirmed, smiling up at Jane as the doctor brought the toy to rub up and down her slit and collect lubrication. "I want to watch your face as you come inside of me."

"I wanna watch you, too," Jane admitted.

Offering up a gentle smile, Maura positioned the toy at her opening and rocked her pelvis to slide the head of the phallus inside of her. Once satisfied it was positioned correctly, her arms moved to wrap around Jane's neck and pull the detective's lips to hers.

"Press into me whenever you're ready," she whispered against Jane's lips.

Nodding, Jane simultaneously pressed her tongue into Maura's mouth and pressed the toy fully into Maura. The doctor couldn't help but pull her lips away from Jane's to let out a long moan at the feeling of being pressed pelvis to pelvis with Jane and filled so fully at the same time. Knowing that the doctor wasn't going to last long and knowing she wanted to reach the edge with Maura, Jane balanced her weight on one hand as she reached down flick the vibrations on.

"Fuck!" she hissed as she felt vibrations began against her clit. "Please tell me I can move, baby."

"Move," Maura commanded. "_Please_."

Tentatively, Jane pulled her hips away from Maura's until just the tip of the toy was left before thrusting back in fully. The sensation of using her hips in such a way took several minutes to get used to, the steady thrusting keeping both women near the edge but not bringing them any closer to falling off it.

"You feel so large," Maura praised, bringing her legs up to wrap around the back of Jane's thighs and cling to the detective.

"Can I go-"

"Yes," Maura interrupted, lifting her hips from the bed to meet Jane's thrusts. "Please, harder."

"You'll tell me if, oh god," Jane groaned as Maura thrust her own hips sharply to meet the dildo and forced the vibrating nub harder onto her clit. "You'll tell me if I hurt you?" she managed to ask.

Maura could only nod her head as gasps and moans continued to spill from her lips.

Bracing her hands on either side of Maura's head and looking down at the blissful face of her doctor, Jane sped her hips up and began to thrust into Maura rapidly.

"Yes!" Maura gasped, her arms tightening around Jane's neck as pleasure began to overwhelm her senses.

"Maur," Jane groaned, her eyes torn between the look of sheer pleasure on Maura's face and the way her breasts bounced temptingly with each thrust. "I'm not…gonna…last long," she tried to warn.

"Come for me," Maura commanded, a hand moving to cup Jane's cheek beneath the curtain of curls that had fallen. "Come for me, Jane."

A few short, rapid strokes later and Jane was burying her head in the crook of Maura's neck as the vibrations against her clit sent her into a shuddering orgasm. Low, almost primal moans fell uncensored from Jane's mouth as her body was given no recovery time from the orgasm, her hips continuously moving to give Maura her own release.

"Almost there," Maura breathed as the quick thrusts of her girlfriend pushed her closer and closer towards release.

"Come, Maura," Jane said, her breath warm on Maura's ear as her teeth nipped at the sensitive skin below the lobe. Jane felt another orgasm building quickly, the vibrations constant on her sensitized clit.

"Clit," Maura moaned. "Please, rub my clit," she begged.

Keeping her hips moving steadily, Jane once again balanced on one hand above Maura and snaked a hand between their bodies. The instant Maura felt a calloused finger begin to circle her bundle of nerves, the tightly wound coil of arousal in her body snapped.

Without stopping her hips or finger on Maura's clit, Jane lifted her head to watch Maura come undone beneath her. The blonde's back arched sharply as her eyes clenched shut, trying to focus on nothing more than the feeling of Jane within her and above her. Hearing the woman below her repeating her name like a lifesaving mantra, Jane's second orgasm slammed into her and once again she stifled her moans by burying her face against Maura's neck.

When her body could handle no more, Maura moved her hands to firmly grasp Jane's ass and still the detective's movement on her last inward thrust. Jane's hand left Maura's clit to shut the vibrations against her clit off before the detective slumped atop Maura, head resting over a racing heart.

"Shit," Jane breathed.

Maura replied with a soft yet unintelligible noise.

"Are you okay?" Jane asked, lifting her head up to look at her girlfriend with concerned eyes.

A nod was her response.

"Could you maybe say you're okay out loud?"

"I'm perfect," Maura said, her voice slightly hoarse from the constant moans and gasps she'd released. "You're perfect," she added as she opened her eyes to look up at Jane.

Smiling, Jane brought her head up to kiss Maura gently. She was careful to keep her hips still, both women highly sensitive from their orgasms.

"I'm gonna pull out, okay?" Jane murmured, giving Maura time to prepare before pulled slowly out of Maura and rolled onto her back, tossing the harness to the floor. The thunk of the toy hitting the floor prompted Maura to roll to her side and press her body to Jane's, arms and legs reaching towards the detective to cling to her.

"I love you," Maura said, burrowing as close to Jane as possible. "I love you, I love you, I love you," she repeated in a voice thick with emotion.

"Maura, sweetie, are you sure you're okay?" Jane asked as she brought a hand up to brush a few errant curls from Maura's face.

"I love you," Maura repeated.

Understanding that her doctor needed a bit of time, Jane pressed her lips to a flushed forehead and murmured a gentle 'I love you, too' to the woman clinging to her.

An hour passed before Maura spoke and, in that hour, the only movement that took place on the bed was Jane reaching down to pull the covers up over their rapidly cooling bodies.

"I'm sorry," Maura whispered.

"Why are you apologizing?" Jane asked.

"I didn't mean to get overly emotional after doing what we did for the first time," Maura explained.

"You never have to apologize for your feelings, Maura," Jane stated. "You know that. But did you wanna talk about why you did have so many feelings?"

"I've never felt so much before," Maura said honestly. "In the hours since we've left work, I've felt sheer bliss as we ran around the yard and awe that you have gone to such lengths to share your childhood memories with me and I've felt safety and love and pleasure and never have I ever felt as close to someone as I did with you earlier."

"Oh, sweetheart," Jane soothed.

"And I know that biologically there was nothing connecting us earlier because the dildo is nothing more than silicon and in no way is attached to you but I couldn't help but grow emotional over just how close I felt to you," Maura continued before lifting her head away from Jane's neck to look at the brunette. "How close I always want to feel to you."

"I always want to feel this close to you, too," Jane smiled.

Grinning, Maura swung her leg over Jane's thighs to straddle the detective and give her a wicked smile.

"We came in here to warm up but I do believe I'm still cold.

* * *

Jane couldn't help but smirk as she watched Maura stand on her toes to pull a pair of kitten heels down from her closet shelves.

"Is there a reason you're staring at me with such a smirk on your face, detective?" Maura asked as she turned around to see Jane leaning against the closet doorframe.

"Just noticing your choice of footwear, that's all."

"Well, I have several autopsies scheduled for today and will be in scrubs most of the day," Maura stated. "It hardly makes sense to choose to wear anything fancier than these since no one will be able to appreciate my footwear."

"Really?" Jane asked, taking a few steps into the closet to place her hands on Maura's hips and pull their bodies flush against each other. "It has nothing to do with the, what was it? 4 rounds of mind blowing sex we had last night with a non-biological phallus shaped object and how sore you said you were going to be today?"

"That might have something to do with my choice in shoes, yes," Maura admitted.

"You might need to buy more shoes like these cuz it's only gonna get better from here."

Letting out of soft moan, Maura stood up on her toes to press her lips hungrily to Jane's. Though her body was indeed sore, Maura couldn't stop herself from pressing her pelvis to Jane's or wrapping her arms around the detective's neck.

Jane's hands slid from Maura's hips to her thighs, nudging under the red fabric of Maura's dress and making their way up silky skin.

"We have to stop," Maura gasped.

"Why?" Jane asked, her thumbs hooking into the waistband of the barely there underwear Maura wore.

"Because if we start now, we'll never stop."

Resting her forehead against Maura's, Jane simultaneously nodded her head and slid her hands back to rest over the fabric on safer territory.

"You're right," the brunette whispered. "I'm gonna go make us some coffee. Or take a cold shower. Or both."

"Speaking of cold…" Maura trailed off, her hands moving to give Jane's ass a teasing squeeze over her slacks. "It's supposed to get colder in the next few days. We might need to warm up all weekend long."

* * *

So sorry this took forever! My laptop won't connect to the wifi at my house so I'm actually uploading this at work. As always, your suggestions for scenes will be taken into consideration!


	21. Chapter 21

**So sorry for the delay! Onwards and upwards we go!**

* * *

"Maura?"

The blonde's head popped up as she was snapped from her concentration when the detective's voice rang through the upstairs hallway.

"Maura?" Jane repeated. "Ma just texted me and told me TJ is sick and Tommy's gotta go to work for a few hours. Lydia is out with her sister for some sorta party. You feeling like playing doctor?"

"Just give me a minute!" Maura called from her home office, quickly clearing her laptop's internet history and beginning to shuffle papers around.

"There you are!" Jane laughed as she walked away from the yoga room towards Maura's office. "I got out of the shower and you'd vanished."

"Don't come in!" Maura said quickly, rising to her feet and rushing to lock herself inside the office.

"Uh, what?" Jane asked, her hand turning the doorknob to no avail. "Maura, what are you hiding in there?"

"I'll be out in a moment to play doctor for TJ," Maura called through the door, returning to the large wooden desk to place the papers and other supplies into a locked drawer.

Jane's face fell as her mind began to race with the possibilities of what Maura was hiding from her behind lock and key.

"I'm just, gonna, ya know. Go downstairs and wait for Tommy to bring TJ," Jane said through the doorway. "You stay up here with your secrets as long as you want."

Hearing the defeated tone in her girlfriend's voice, Maura quickly abandoned her tasks in the office and made her way to the door in record time. Flinging it open, she saw the back of Jane's red flannel pajama pants and BPD hoodie.

"Jane, sweetie," Maura called as she took a few quick steps and reached for Jane's hand. "You know that I could never keep a secret from you."

"I'm just overreacting and being too sensitive," Jane shrugged, though she stopped walking down the hall and made no attempt to pull her hand from Maura's.

"Look at me?"

Hating herself for the vulnerability she felt, Jane turned around and met Maura's soft gaze.

"Now look down at my hands," Maura instructed with a gentle smile.

Doing as she was told, Jane looked down to Maura's hands and saw familiar markings on the pale flesh. Marks of various colors were scattered around Maura's fingers, some thinner and some thicker. Jane's mind immediately went to the hours she spent coloring with her younger brothers and the marks that marred their own hands after a few hours with markers.

"Arts and crafts?" Jane asked

"Your home made Christmas gift," Maura smiled. "I started working on it while you were in the shower and got a bit engrossed in the work. I know you're a snoop and want to keep my presents to you a surprise."

"Oh. Well, now I feel like an idiot."

"Don't," Maura said with a smile. "I would feel hurt, too, if you suddenly locked yourself in a room with no warning."

"So, then don't lock yourself in a room with no warning," Jane grinned. "And let me use my superior detective skills to figure out what you're making me for Christmas."

"Not gonna happen," Maura laughed as she began to walk with Jane towards their bedroom. "But you _can _figure out what I'm going to wear because a sick toddler and Alexander McQueen do not mix well, I am sure."

* * *

An hour later found Angela entering the main house with a crying TJ in her arms, his face red and tear soaked.

"Can you two watch him while I run to the store and get him some more Pedialyte?"

"Of course," Jane nodded, stepping away from the stove she'd been making chicken noodle soup at to walk towards her mother and nephew.

"I want Auntie Mo-Wa," TJ sniffled as tears continued to roll down his cheeks. "Where's Auntie Mo-wa?" he asked when he realized the woman in question wasn't in his sight.

"She went upstairs to her office and will be back really soon," Jane soothed the child, reaching out to brush his sweaty hair from his face. "She's looking in her books to make sure we know how to make you feel better as soon as we can."

"She make me feel better cuz she's soft," TJ hiccupped. "And I want to feel better nooooow," he wailed.

"I'm right here, honey," Maura stated as she re-entered the room, placing her book onto the nearest counter and walked directly to Angela who passed over the toddler, now reaching out for the doctor, into Maura's waiting arms. "Has his fever gone down at all?" she whispered to Angela as TJ situated himself against Maura's chest, nuzzling against the bare skin exposed by Maura's tank top.

"Not even a little," Angela sighed. "Jane's making him some soup and he'll be due for another dose of medicine after he eats. I shouldn't be gone long but you call me if anything happens. It's been decades since I've had a sick child but a mother never forgets."

"If I give him a bath, would you suggest I use warm water or cool water?"

"Lukewarm should help clear his sinuses and calm him down a bit," Angela instructed. "But make sure he's completely dry before getting him into clean pajamas."

"Of course," Maura nodded as she ran a hand up and down TJ's sweaty pajama top.

"How much soup should I give him?" Jane asked.

"Try to have him eat a small bowlful," Angela replied. "But don't be surprised if he throws it up. Lord knows you were a baby who loved to puke."

"Thanks, Ma."

Giving both women a smile and TJ a kiss to the crown of his head, Angela grabbed her purse and began to make her way to her car.

"I'm sorry my sick nephew ruined our relaxing evening at home," Jane sighed once her mother was gone.

"I'm not," Maura admitted. "Caring for TJ is something I find that I enjoy doing."

"Well, it looks like he enjoys it, too," Jane smiled as she gestured to TJ who was sucking his thumb as he rested his head over Maura's heart.

"My tummy feels ucky," TJ sniffled. "Make it better."

"We're trying, sweetie," Maura cooed. "Aunt Jay has some soup for you and then I'll take you upstairs for a bath."

"You gots med'cine for me?" TJ asked. "The purple kind tastes the best."

"I'll give you some after you eat your soup," Maura bargained.

"Mmkay," TJ nodded against the soft skin of Maura's bosom.

And with that, Maura sat at her dining room table with TJ refusing to leave her lap. Jane pulled a chair to sit closer to the pair, slowly bringing spoonfuls of chicken noodle soup to TJ's mouth. The toddler gratefully accepted the soup from his aunt, even managing a few weak giggles at the sounds Jane made to encourage him to eat.

"You go get him into the bath," Jane said once TJ finished his small serving of soup. "I'll tidy up here."

"How does that sound, TJ?" Maura asked the toddler. "Do you want to take a bubble bath?"

"Will it make my tummy less ucky?" TJ asked, puffy eyes looking up at Maura sadly.

"It might."

"What 'bout my head? Will it make my head not hurt?"

"A bath always makes my head not hurt," Maura replied.

"Okay," TJ sniffled, his arms wrapping tightly around Maura's neck as the blonde rose to her feet and, with a smile from Jane, began to walk towards her guest bathroom.

Watching her girlfriend offer soothing words to her nephew, Jane kept her gaze locked on Maura until the doctor was out of sight and she heard the bathtub begin to fill. As she began to load the dishwasher, Jane felt a stirring in both her chest and in her lower abdomen at the thought of Maura acting in such a maternal way.

Once she finished loading the dishwasher, she sent a text to her mother to let her know TJ had managed to keep his soup down before heading to the guest house to grab a fresh pair of pajamas from TJ's bag. When she made her way to the guest bathroom and leaned against the doorframe, the stirring in her chest and abdomen returned.

Maura had stripped down to her simple black bra and underwear, pulled her hair into a messy bun, and was sitting cross legged in the large bathtub with TJ on her lap. The toddler's eyes were fixed on the laptop Maura had set on the closed toilet seat, his eyes lacking tears for the first time since his arrival as he watched Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Maura was running a small washcloth gently over TJ's body, a content smile of her face.

"He looks like he's feeling better," Jane smiled, prompting Maura's head to turn away from the laptop and look towards her.

"He said that his stomach was feeling less ucky, though his head still is causing him pain," Maura reported. "But he didn't want to let me go to take the bath and I know how soothing skin to skin contact can be for those who are in need of soothing so I hope it's okay I've joined him in the tub."

"You gonna come in the tub, too, Aunt Jay?" TJ asked when the episode paused for advertisements. "We got the turtles on the 'puter."

"I'm gonna stay out of the tub this time, little buddy," Jane smiled. "But I brought you some medicine and if you promise not to throw up, maybe the three of us can snuggle on the couch when you're out of the tub."

"Okay!" TJ agreed happily.

"It's quite shocking how much he loves physical affection when you and your siblings are so adverse to it," Maura chuckled as TJ leaned fully against her front and resumed watched the show.

"Well, let's not forget he's Tommy's offspring and anybody with even an inch of Tommy's DNA would be begging to hop into the bath tub with you."

"Unfortunately for Tommy, there's only one Rizzoli I'm interested in," Maura smiled as she allowed her eyes to roam up and down Jane's body.

"Damn straight," Jane chuckled.

"Watch your language, Aunt Jay!"

* * *

Jane was always meticulous as she did her nighttime sweep of the doors and windows to their home to ensure they were locked but after the two women passed a sleeping TJ over to Angela after a dose of grape flavored medicine and a few more episodes of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Jane was eager to be in Maura's arms.

As she entered their bedroom, she was greeted by the sight of Maura just beginning to button her black silk pajama top.

"Not wearing my Red Sox hoodie to bed tonight?"

"I forgot to put the clothes in the washer into the dryer," Maura explained as she looked up to Jane. "But don't let that fool you into thinking you're getting it back anytime soon."

"I gave up hope that I'd get it back the minute you put the hoodie on," Jane noted before shutting the bedroom door and crossing the bedroom, her hands quickly coming up to cover Maura's. "But right now I don't think you should have anything on."

"Oh."

"Yeah, 'oh,'" Jane breathed as she began to unbutton the shirt Maura had only just begun to button. "Please don't be weirded out by this but seeing you with TJ has done something wacky to my libido," she explained as Maura allowed her to push the silk material from her shoulders and fall in a pile on the floor.

"Not weirded out at all," Maura confirmed, her hands haphazardly tugging at Jane's t-shirt until it was tossed across the room and Jane spun Maura around, pressing her back to Jane's front, and beginning to nip at the side of Maura's neck. "There is a perfectly good explanation why your libido is acting this way."

"Don't care about the explanation," Jane murmured against Maura's skin, her hands running up a yoga toned stomach to begin teasing pale breasts.

"God, I love your hands," Maura sighed as felt her body responding quickly to Jane's touches.

Her comment was rewarded with a bite to her neck and hearty squeeze to both breasts.

"You're base instincts are kicking in," Maura explained breathlessly, one of her hands coming up to clasp Jane's and begin guiding it downwards to where she so desperately wanted it. "You saw me interacting positively with a child and the instinct most creatures have to produce offspring is hitting youuu," she tried to continue, her last word turning to a hiss as both she and Jane's hand reached her wetness.

"Maura."

"And even though we can't reproduce in a way that some would consider normal, you still have the urge to engage in intercourse." Maura continued as she straightened two of Jane's fingers and guided them none too gently into her wet heat. A long moan fell from her lips as she began to help Jane thrust in and out of her, their hips grinding together in rhythm. "The urge to fuck me."

"I always have that urge," Jane admitted, keeping up her thrusting motions as she began to walk with Maura towards the bed. The blonde's knees reached the bed first and she immediately crawled onto it, Jane's fingers never leaving her as the detective crawled behind her and draped her body over Maura's.

"Good," Maura grinned. "But please," she pleaded when she realized Jane's fingers had stilled inside of her. "Follow that urge now and make me come. Please, Jane, make me come for you."

A smile on her face, Jane once again began to pepper Maura's neck in kisses and light nips as her fingers began a blistering pace in and out of Maura, the blonde gasping and moaning with each powerful thrust.

"More," Maura gasped when she felt her extremities begin to tingle, the silk of the pajama pants she wore providing extra sensation to her body.

"Do you want me to get the things?" Jane asked, her fingers never stilling in their movements.

"No," Maura said with a shake of her head. "I want your fingers making me come," she instructed, prompting Jane to quickly add a third finger to the ones already covered in Maura's arousal. "Oh, god, your fingers!" Maura gasped at the added sensation.

With Jane's fingers pumping steadily in and out of her and the heel of her palm providing just enough stimulation to her clit, Maura felt her entire body tense before the pleasure came crashing into her. Jane's name was cried from her lips as her entire body trembled, the fingers inside of her never stopping their ministrations until the honey blonde could no longer hold herself up on her hands and knees and she collapsed onto the bed, Jane's hand trapped between her legs.

"No," she mumbled when she felt Jane's fingers wiggle inside of her still sensitive pussy.

"Sorry," Jane replied, stilling her fingers. "Just trying to free my hand."

Wordlessly, Maura weakly lifted her lips to allow Jane just enough room to pull her fingers free from the confines of silk pajama pants and wet heat. When she heard the tell-tale smacking of lips above her, Maura found enough energy to roll over and wrap her arms around Jane's neck, bringing the brunette down into a fierce kiss that tasted of both Jane's toothpaste and her own arousal.

"If there's ever a weekend that we're not on call, can I spend the entire time going down on you?" Jane asked with a grin. "Cuz _shit_ you taste good."

"Only if the following weekend I can go down on you the entire time," Maura replied, lifting her head up to give Jane one last kiss before encouraging her to roll off the doctor and prepare for sleep.

"Deal," Jane said as she rolled off Maura and quickly shut off the bedside lamp, allowing Maura to snuggle up next to Jane. "Did you want me to grab your pajama top?"

"Nope," Maura said as she settled against Jane's side, both women bare from the waist up.

"You sure? I'm pretty sure your house is colder than the morgue at night," Jane noted.

"You're here to keep me warm," Maura smiled. "Plus," she continued "less clothing now means more fun in the morning."

* * *

**Once again, sorry for the delay! Reviews make me smile!**


	22. Chapter 22

**So sorry for the length of time in between updates! But I'm thinking of putting my two weeks in at my supermarket job so I'll be down to just one full time job, not a full time and part time. Unless I chicken out.**

**Word on the street is Rizzles FanFic Awards are now open. Juuuust sayin.**

* * *

Jane awoke before her alarm to the buzzing of her cellphone, groaning as she reached for the device and saw her mother's name.

"Whassa matter?" she mumbled, trying not to wake Maura from her sleep.

"I just wanted to tell you that TJ's fever has gone down," Angela said.

"And you couldn't have just texted me?" Jane groaned. "Our alarm isn't gonna go off for another hour."

"TJ wanted me to call you so he could thank you for helping him feel better," Angela replied, a soft giggling in the background.

"Mmkay," Jane hummed. "I'll be sure to pass the message along to Maura when she wakes up."

"I'm awake," Maura noted. "Is everything okay?"

"Ma, I'm gonna put you on speaker so give TJ the phone," Jane told her mother, the free arm she had wrapped around Maura squeezing the blonde's shoulders gently.

"Hi Aunt Jay! Hi Auntie Mo-wa!" TJ's voice called through the phone.

"Hi, sweetheart," Maura smiled, tugging herself closer to Jane's warmth. "You sound like you're feeling better."

"My tummy is still a little ucky but I do feel lots better," he smiled. "Nana said I should tell you thank you for takin' care of me."

"Anytime, little buddy," Jane said. "Did Nana also say she was gonna make you chocolate chip pancakes? Cuz she did that when your daddy was little like you."

"Jane!" Angela chastised.

"Payback for waking us up this early," Jane grinned.

"Oh! Auntie Mo-wa! I told Nana I don't wanna be Donatello for Halloween next year," TJ stated happily. "I wanna be a doctor like you!"

"You'd make a handsome doctor," Maura smiled.

"Okay, little man," Angela said. "Time to let Aunt Jay and Auntie Maura get a bit more sleep. Say bye-bye."

"Bye!"

The click told them TJ had already hung up Angela's phone and Jane tossed hers onto the bedside table, hand coming to rest on Maura's hip.

"Good morning," she murmured into blonde curls.

"Morning," Maura smiled as she placed a gentle kiss to the skin of the collarbone in front of her lips. "Do you really want to go back to sleep?"

"Depends," Jane mused as she felt Maura's hand beginning to run up and down her bare torso. "What's my other option?"

For her reply, Maura rolled herself from her spot nuzzled against Jane's side to straddle the brunette's waist, a smile on both women's faces.

"I told you, less clothing at night means more fun in the morning."

"I guess so," Jane chuckled as she felt Maura rock her hips until the fit between them was airtight. "I love the way you look in the mornings," she complimented. At the tilt of Maura's head, Jane moved her hands up to rest on Maura's hips and began to explain. "You're ridiculously gorgeous all the time and I love how you look in everything, but in the mornings…I dunno. I feel like you're more Maura. Less Dr. Isles and more the woman I'm gonna spend the rest of my life with."

Maura knew Jane's open display of emotions was something that would never happen if she made a big deal of the words so, instead of verbally responding, Maura leaned down and captured Jane's lips in a bruising kiss. She kept up the fierce kiss, tongue dueling with Jane's until she felt scarred hands come to slip under her pajama bottoms.

"No," she breathed, reluctantly pulling away from the kiss and looking down at Jane. "I want to please you."

"We can both-"

"No," Maura repeated before beginning to kiss her way down Jane's neck to her breasts, effectively erasing any protests from Jane's mind as her lips latched onto a rapidly stiffening nipple.

"Shit," Jane hissed, arching her back towards Maura's ministrations.

Maura continued to suckle gently, teeth nipping sporadically before making her way to the other nipple and paying it the same level of attention. It wasn't until Maura felt strong hands pushing down on her shoulders that she began to slowly slide her body downwards.

"So strong," she murmured, her lips trailing open mouthed kisses down Jane's toned abdomen. Her fingers hooked in the waistband of red flannel pants and she slowly scooted backwards until she reached the edge of the bed and could fling the pants onto the floor. "So beautiful," she praised while kissing her way back up tanned legs.

"Maura," Jane breathed when she felt a lingering kiss being placed at each of her hip bones. "Please."

Taking a few last moments to admire Jane from her position between spread legs, Maura seared the image of Jane so eagerly awaiting her touch into her mind before dipping her tongue into the thick wetness she loved. Jane's gasp spurred her on and she eagerly began to lap at Jane's folds, never sticking to a set pace or rhythm too long.

When Jane felt two fingers begin to gently rub around her entrance, her hips canted upwards and she silently asked Maura to continue their journey inside of her. Obliging, Maura thrust in two fingers in a single motion and her moan joined Jane's when she felt the inner walls of her girlfriend already beginning their tell-tale contractions before orgasm.

Jane's breathing grew labored as she fought to keep her orgasm at bay as long as possible. She found herself almost embarrassed at how quickly her body was brought to the edge by Maura's talented tongue and fingers and tried to keep herself on the edge long enough to truly enjoy her morning.

"Jane," Maura murmured, bringing her lips only a millimeter away from the detective's swollen clit before gently taking it between her teeth.

"Trying to make it last," Jane explained quickly, not trusting her voice to remain steady.

Instead of verbally responding, Maura's fingers picked up their pace and her lips sealed around Jane's clit, eager to feel and hear her girlfriend come unraveled. And within a few more moments, Jane's hands shot to golden curls and held Maura to the exact spot she wanted, thighs trembling as pleasure rolled over her in waves upon waves.

When she could take no more and her once tense limbs fell limply to the bed, Jane gulped down air as Maura wiped her face on Jane's thigh before crawling up to rest with her body half on top of Jane's and half snuggled at her side.

"Jesus Christ," Jane gasped once her mouth was able to form the words she wanted it to.

"Gets better every time," Maura smiled.

"Yeah," Jane chuckled. "I never come that quickly. You're pretty talented, Doctor Isles."

"I've been told," Maura grinned as she tugged their comforter up over their bodies. "Now let's try to get an extra half an hour of sleep in."

* * *

When Jane emerged from the shower that morning, reluctantly being forced to shower separately from Maura, she was greeted by a note on the coffee maker that Maura was driving herself to work and would see Jane later that night.

Checking her phone for a missed call from dispatch, Jane was surprised to see no such notification. Worriedly, Jane pulled her hair into a ponytail and jogged towards her cruiser, intent on finding Maura and discovering why she had left in such a hurry.

Yet when she reached the morgue, a confused Susie informed Jane that it had only been here in the lab since her arrival at 7am and Maura's first scheduled appointment wasn't until 9:00am.

"Hey, partner," Frost greeted Jane when she made her way into the squad room.

"Can you track someone's phone when it's off?" Jane asked, offering no other greeting to Frost or Korsak. "There's gotta be some techie mumbo jumbo that can let you do that, right?"

"Oh, yeah, I had a good night. Nice and relaxing, thanks for asking," Frost teased.

"I'm serious, Frost."

"Is everything okay?" he asked, leaning forward to get a better look at Jane. "Who are you trying to track down?"

"Can we track a phone that's off or not?" Jane asked in a huff.

"Not if it's off," Frost replied.

Sighing, Jane hit her number one speed dial and listened as it went directly to voicemail yet again.

"Maura, please call me when you get this. Or call Frost or Korsak or Ma or someone. Please. I'm worried. I love you."

"The doc's MIA?" Korsak asked from across the room.

"Something like that," Jane sighed. "I got outta the shower this morning and she'd left a note that she had to get here early and would see me tonight. There's been not a peep about Paddy or any of his goons, so that's unlikely, but-"

"Lover's quarrel?"

"Dammit, Frost. This is serious. I'm worried about her," Jane snapped.

"Sorry," Frost said softly.

"Susie said her first appointment is at 9 and I don't wanna ambush her but if I don't hear from her by ten till, I'm gonna plop myself right in front of the morgue and wait," Jane stated.

Before either man could answer, Jane's phone buzzed with an incoming text message and she snatched it from her desk, face falling shortly after.

_I need a bit of time alone. Please respect and understand that. I am entirely safe and will be at work in time for my appointments but please, Jane. I need space._

"That the doc?" Korsak asked softly, watching as his Jane's face fell.

Jane simply nodded her head.

"And?" the older man asked, worried for both his former partner and for Maura.

"And I think she wants to break up with me."

* * *

After a day that dragged on far slower than Jane would have liked, the detective maneuvered down the snowy Boston streets towards Beacon Hill and made her way quickly into the bedroom she shared with Maura.

"Hey, Jo," she greeted when the small dog looked up from her resting place on their bed, happily trotting to the edge of the bed for a head scratch. "I'm gonna grab some clothes then you and I are gonna go back to our old place for a bit. You can chase all your old squirrel buddies if you can find them in the snow."

Jo yapped and leapt to the floor, scurrying out of the bedroom as Jane pulled a few basic items from her side of the closet and tossed them into a small duffle bag. Adding her toiletries to the bag, Jane sighed heavily before making her way towards the garage.

"Jane?"

Stopping in her tracks, Jane looked up to see Maura standing by the front closet with Jo prancing around her feet with her leash held between tiny teeth.

"Why are you holding a duffle bag and why is Jo holding her leash?" the doctor asked.

"My lease doesn't technically end until December 31st so I still have access to my apartment," Jane explained. "We're gonna head over there and give you the space you want."

"Jane, that wasn't what I meant at all," Maura attempted to soothe, feeling the tension radiating off of the woman in front of her. Along with anger, Maura also felt the fear and self-doubt radiating from Jane and knew she needed to act quickly before Jane ran from her.

"Well how am I supposed to know what you meant?" Jane snapped. "The last time I heard from you was 12 hours ago when you told me you needed space with absolutely no explanation!"

"You and I both know that me requesting space from you was difficult enough for me without trying to put into words why I needed the space," Maura countered. "If you'll just give me a few minutes to change out of my work clothes, we can sit on the couch and I can explain," she added softly.

"It's fine, Maura," Jane shrugged. "You want space and I'll give it to you, no big deal."

"But this isn't the space I want."

"Well, then what space do you want cuz I'm kinda confused right now."

"I want us to snuggle on the couch with a mindless movie on and just forget about today," Maura admitted. "I want you to not ask me why I ran out this morning or needed to keep my distance all day. I want you to hold me and let me know that processing things on my own is okay and for once I want you to not run away!"

"Well I'm sorry cuz I don't think I can do any of that," Jane stated briskly. "I can't just forget how it felt to get out of the shower and see a sticky note from you or how terrified I was when I couldn't reach you. I can't stop wanting to know why you're keeping secrets from me and-"

"Ian contacted me!"

* * *

**I'm just gonna leave this here and run away. Run far, far away.**

**Remember the Rizzles FanFic Awards are open for nominations! There are some wonderful Rizzles authors out there who deserve a nomination or two!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Maybe after this chapter ya'll won't hate me as much.**

**Rizzles Fan Award nominations are still open. Nominate those stories and authors you love. I know I've nominated a few.**

* * *

"What?"

With that one word, Maura both heard and saw the air escape from Jane's lungs in a quick exhale.

"Ian contacted me," Maura repeated softly.

"Oh. I guess I did hear you right."

"He left a voicemail while I was in the shower and when I saw the unfamiliar number on my phone, I listened to it," Maura explained, fighting the urge to reach out to Jane and cling to her. "The area code was New York and I thought perhaps my parents were visiting the flat they have there."

"But it was Ian," Jane said.

"Yes," Maura confirmed.

"When are you leaving?" Jane asked, keeping her eyes trained on anywhere but Maura's face.

This time it was Maura who felt the air rush from her lungs.

"What?"

"When are you leaving?" Jane repeated. "I mean, that's probably what his voicemail was, right? He's coming to Boston to visit you but really hopes you'll come back to Africa with him to do relief work when he leaves."

"That's the short version of what he said, yes," Maura whispered, eyes widening a moment later when she realized what she said. "But I'm not going!" she added quickly, taking a step forward and reaching for Jane, hand falling to her side before it could make contact. "I'm not going anywhere with him."

"But this morning…" Jane trailed off, the image of Maura's sticky note on the coffee machine all too fresh in her mind.

"Can we please sit?" Maura asked, eager to pull Jane away from the door she was standing so close to. Jane had run from her before and now Maura had her turn at running and the doctor wanted neither one of them to be near the doorway.

Shrugging, Jane tossed her duffle bag against the front closet and made her way to the couch, sitting as far to the edge as possible. Maura slid off her heels and curled herself onto the middle cushion of the couch, a small distance between the two women but within arm's length.

"I'm not leaving to go to Africa with him," Maura repeated. "I'm not even going to let him into our house. I would install a security gate if there was time."

"I don't get why you ran off this morning if you're not going with him," Jane sighed, running a hand through her curls. "Unless you wanted to go and had to talk yourself out of-"

"Don't finish that sentence," Maura interrupted. "I ran off this morning and requested space because…" she trailed off. "Because I was scared."

Hurt brown eyes lifted up to inquire into equally hurt hazel eyes.

"Scared?"

"Terrified, actually," Maura clarified.

"Did you think I was gonna freak out that he called?" Jane asked. "Or, like, go find him and kick his ass?"

"No," Maura said with a soft smile. "I was terrified because of the reaction I had to his voicemail."

"And, uh, what reaction was that?"

"Completely neutral," Maura explained. "No feelings whatsoever when I heard his voice or his offer to be with him. And that's when the terror set in. When I realized I felt nothing towards that man."

"I'm not sure if I'm following," Jane admitted.

"I loved Ian and every single time I heard his voice or heard his offer to join him, my stomach would erupt in butterflies and I would be love-struck for days," Maura said. "But today I felt absolutely nothing, save for a small bit of disgust. And that terrified me. The thought that the man I once thought was the love of my life could elicit such an…apathetic response in me."

"And your mind started to think that maybe one day I could elicit an apathetic response from you, too," Jane stated, little by little understanding what Maura was trying to put into words.

"Yes," Maura confirmed sadly. "I love you so, so much Jane and the thought that one day I could wake up in your arms and not feel the bliss of the past several weeks or the butterflies in my stomach when you wrap your arms around me…" she trailed off, her voice wavering. "And in hind sight running from you was the worst possible thing I could have done and leaving you that sticky note and the text message and ignoring your calls were horrible things of me to do but I was so scared and needed to sort through my mind. I acted in the worst way and I am so sorry."

"I was scared, too," Jane admitted, biting her lip gently. "I didn't know what was going on and at first I thought you were hurt and then I thought you were gonna break up with me and then I was angry and hurt and really, really scared."

"I am so, so sorry for scaring you like that," Maura tried to soothe. "I just needed to think and despite popular belief, I can't think clearly every minute of every day. And today I needed to think clearly."

"Did you come to any realizations or anything while you were thinking?" Jane asked.

"I did."

"Care to share?" Jane asked, once again keeping her gaze away from Maura.

"Ian and I…We were like one of those blockbuster movies that comes out every summer that countless couples desire to be like."

Jane felt a lump rise in her throat without permission and her hand instinctively came up to her mouth as though she could keep the emotions down.

"Please, let me finish," Maura begged, reaching her hand out to Jane's forearm.

Jane nodded, letting Maura know to continue.

"But Jane, you and I are so much more than that," Maura said with a soft smile. "You and I are the stuff of myths and legends and fairy tales. The love we share is the kind of love that lives on for centuries and centuries, not just for a few months at the box office. Our love is the kind that gives me butterflies even if I only see your name on my telephone screen."

"Please don't leave," Jane whispered around the lump in her throat, her hand moving away from her mouth.

"Oh, Jane," Maura cooed as she saw tears well in Jane's eyes.

"I know that he's a good guy, maybe even a great guy if I got to know him, and I don't ever want to hold you back from what could be the best relationship of your life but please, Maura, don't leave me," Jane begged, watery eyes lifting up to meet Maura's. "I'd never be okay again if you left," she admitted.

In an instant, Maura closed the distance between them and was wrapping Jane in a desperate embrace, feeling the tense muscles beneath her fight to keep tears and emotions at bay.

"Jane," Maura breathed into dark curls. "My sweet girl, I'm never leaving you," she promised.

"I don't want to hold you back."

"No," Maura said, pulling away slightly and taking Jane's face in her hands, wiping tears away with her thumbs. "You are not holding me back from anything. The greatest love of my life is you. I will shout it from the rooftops on this continent and the African continent that you, Jane Rizzoli, are the greatest thing that has ever happened to me."

"I love you so much, Maura," Jane admitted, hating herself for the tears spilling out of her eyes. "I want you to have everything good and fancy and perfect in the world but I also want you to stay right here with me. Forever."

"I've already given you forever, sweetheart," Maura stated, feeling tears well in her own eyes at the vulnerability Jane was brave enough to show her. "From the moment I asked you to put your arms around me our first night in New Haven and you did, I gave you forever."

Tears continued to leak from Jane's eyes as Maura kissed her softly, thumbs still gently stroking away the tears.

"I am so sorry for hurting you and for running from you," Maura whispered as she rested her forehead against Jane's.

"I'm sorry for snapping and you and trying to sneak out with Jo back to my old place," Jane said in an equally soft voice.

"I'll forgive you if you forgive me?" Maura asked, a smile tugging at her mouth.

"Yeah," Jane said, releasing a shaky chuckle as her arms moved to wrap around Maura's midsection and tug the blonde to straddle her lap, thankful that the doctor wore slacks that day that allowed her to settle flush against Jane.

"Just say the word and I'll install a security gate with a password Ian will never, ever have," Maura murmured.

"Is he coming to Boston?" Jane asked. "You said he was calling from a New York number but is he coming here soon?"

"He'll be here next weekend after collecting supplies from a contact just outside of New York City," Maura replied. "But I'll call him back and let him know not to set foot near our home."

"You're sure I'm not holding you back?" Jane asked nervously.

"Absolutely certain," Maura said as she lifted her head to look directly at Jane. For all the bravado and confidence Jane possessed in her career and family life, Maura still found herself caught off guard when Jane showed such self-doubt and vulnerability. "I love you so much, Jane."

"I love you, too," Jane replied, releasing a shaky breath as she watched Maura look at her adoringly.

Noticing the subtle way Jane was biting the inside of her lower lip, Maura brought her thumb to brush over the lip and still Jane's movements.

"You want to ask me something," Maura stated, having become familiar with the tells of the detective.

"Can we go upstairs?" Jane asked softly. "To bed," she added with a soft blush. "I just…I want you to show me."

"Show you what, my sweet girl?"

"I want you to show me the stuff of myths and legends and fairy tales."

* * *

Jane fell backwards onto their bed several minutes later, her clothes having been eased from her body and left in a heap on the floor with the help of Maura's skilled hands.

"You are the greatest thing that could have ever happened to me," Maura praised as she left her clothes abandoned on the floor with Jane's and began to place soft kisses up Jane's leg, torso, and onto lips that still tasted of salty tears. "And I will show you how much I love you every day until we die, and even then the world will know of our love. I promise you that."

"Maura," Jane choked out, her voice thick with emotion and arousal as her arm reached towards the bedside table. "Please. Show me how much you love me."

When Maura saw Jane's arm return from reaching for the bedside table, she felt her heart begin to race when the sight of the traditional style harness and dildo resting in Jane's palm greeted her.

"Jane," the doctor breathed as she looked back to the woman beneath her.

"Please," the brunette asked from beneath her. "Put it on."

Nodding, Maura accepted the item from Jane's hand and slid from the bed, her eyes never leaving Jane's as she stepped into the harness and began to adjust it to fit her hips.

"Oh, God," Jane whispered when the harness was in place and Maura stood before her with nothing but a few straps of leather on her body and tousled hair. The sight was affecting her more than she'd anticipated and her legs parted further in preparation.

Returning to her post above Jane, Maura's hands came to tenderly massage firm breasts to prepare Jane's body for the intrusion it hadn't felt for quite some time.

"I'm ready," Jane said after a few moments of Maura's hands on her breasts and trading kisses that grew more desperate with every passing minute.

"I don't want to hurt you," Maura said. "It's been a while since you've-"

"You won't hurt me," Jane promised. "You love me."

With the knowledge that both words and actions had their time and knowing now was the time for actions, Maura positioned herself appropriately and, balancing her weight on one hand, grasped the dildo and ran the tip up and down Jane's surprisingly wet folds.

"I'm going to enter you slowly," she warned when she pressed against Jane's entrance and felt resistance meeting her faux appendage.

Jane nodded, taking a few deep breaths to relax her body and allow Maura to slip a few inches into her.

"Can I hold your hands?" Maura asked, noticing that the hands once wrapped around her shoulders had fallen to rest beside Jane's head into a position that would allow Maura to keep herself propped up above the brunette as well as connect their bodies in as many ways as possible.

Jane could only nod as she felt the appendage attached to Maura fill her a few inches more.

Quickly, Maura laced her fingers with Jane's and gave them a reassuring squeeze as she finally slid the rest of her length into Jane and was nestled hip to hip with the love of her life.

"Fuck," Jane gasped when she felt the sensation of being filled completely mix with the sensation of Maura's breasts pressing against her own.

"No," Maura smiled as she kissed Jane gently. "That's not what we're doing."

"We're making love," Jane said, a soft smile on her face as she open her eyes to look up at Maura.

Capturing Jane's lips in a passionate kiss, Maura tentatively began to move her hips and establish a rhythm that suited both women. When she found the rhythm that earned her the most sinfully delightful gasps and moans from her girlfriend—long, steady thrusts with ample force behind them—Maura smiled against chapped lips.

"Feels so good," Jane gasped, surprised at how quickly her body responded to Maura's actions when with others it took so long.

"You feel so wonderful, my sweet girl," Maura praised, gasping loudly as Jane pulled her left hand free from Maura's and slid her hand between their bodies to tap the button to turn on the vibrations against Maura's clit.

"Now you feel wonderful, too," Jane smiled as she returned her hand to Maura's and gave both of her hands a squeeze.

Jane's smile spurred Maura into action and her hips began to thrust quicker and harder into Jane, their breasts rubbing against each other torturously as loud moans began to sound throughout the bedroom.

"Jane," Maura tried to warn. "I'm gonna-"

"No," Jane pleaded as she began to move her hips to meet Maura's thrusts and felt her walls begin to contract around the phallus inside of her. "Wait for me."

Dropping her head to the crook of Jane's neck, Maura fought to keep her orgasm at bay until she felt Jane's back arch beneath her and Jane's strong hands clench her own, releasing a deep moan as pleasure washed over her. Maura let out a moan of her own, burying the toy to the hilt inside of Jane as they rode out the waves of orgasm together, reaching a hand down to stop the vibrations before moving to pull out of Jane.

"No," Jane mumbled when she felt Maura begin to pull out, quickly disentangling her hands from Maura's to grasp the doctor's ass and keep her buried inside of Jane. "Don't leave me."

* * *

Still hate me? I hope a bit less after this.

Do ya'll want to see Ian actually show up and have Jane/Maura give him a piece of their mind? Or just have Maura call him and confront him that way?

And don't forget to show your fave fanfic authors some love at rizzlesfanawards dot wordpress dot com!


	24. Chapter 24

**Ya'll are the best readers a girl could ask for. No joke.**

**Onwards and upwards!**

* * *

The first thing Jane noticed when she awoke the next morning were the skilled fingers of Maura's hand gently massaging her scalp as the blonde sat propped against the headboard. The second thing she noticed was the bright sunlight pouring into the bedroom.

"Sean called while you were sleeping," Maura said softly when she felt the detective tense up at the sight of bright sunlight. "A winter storm hit late last night and the city has basically shut down."

"But-"

"Plows are trying to make their way through but over two feet of snow accumulated and Sargent Detective Korsak volunteered to come in and man the phones since he lives closest to Headquarters," Maura continued. "We're both scheduled to testify in court tomorrow and Sean told me that working from home is both the safest and most logical option."

"Why did he call you, though?" Jane asked, still fighting the urge to leave bed and make her way to the station.

"He knew you would listen to me," Maura stated before placing her book on the nightstand and leaning down to press a soft kiss to Jane's hairline. "Relax, my sweet girl."

With a sigh, Jane relaxed back against the bed, an arm coming to wrap around the thighs next to her head.

"Let's stay in bed all day and watch Christmas movies," Jane mumbled as she tugged herself closer to Maura.

"Anything you want, we can do," Maura promised as her hand once again began to tenderly massage Jane's scalp. "I might even have a few wire hangers we can unfold to make skewers for s'mores in the fireplace."

"Mmkay," Jane hummed. "We should get our tree this weekend. We only have 10 days until Christmas."

"Our first Christmas as a couple," Maura smiled.

"When did Ian say he was going to come into town?" Jane asked softly.

"I don't care," Maura replied. "I already sent him a text saying he isn't welcome anywhere near our home."

"You did?" Jane asked, lifting her head slightly to look up at Maura.

"I did," Maura confirmed as she quickly entered her password into her phone and pulled up her text message before handing the phone to Jane.

_I received your voicemail but have no desire to see you this weekend or ever again. Remove my contact information from your phone and any other address books and please do not make any further attempts to contact me. Do not come to my home if you ever find yourself in Boston._

"Has he replied?" Jane asked nervously.

"I blocked his number from my phone so I have no idea if he has tried to call or text me," Maura responded. "And honestly I don't care. I have all I could ever need right here."

Jane smiled slightly, though her face fell a few moments later.

"I'm sorry you saw me like that last night," Jane whispered. "I snapped at you and then I was just…I dunno how to describe it. But I'm sorry."

Sighing, Maura lifted Jane's arm from around her thighs and slid from where she sat propped against the headboard to lay on the bed, bringing she and Jane face to face.

"I need you to listen to me," Maura said, smiling gently as she brought a hand up to cup Jane's cheek. "Are you listening?"

A nod was her only response.

"I. Love. You," Maura said, emphasizing each word. "And when I say those three words, I don't mean that I love you just in that moment. I love all of you all of the time," Maura smiled. "I love you when you're Detective Rizzoli and I love you when you're playing basketball with Frankie and Tommy. I love you when you're on top and I love you when you let me be the top. I love you when you're strong and stoic and I love you when you're vulnerable and emotional. I love you, Jane. Forever."

"But still," Jane tried to reason. "I was a mess last night."

"You were honest," Maura refuted. "I want you to believe me when I say that your vulnerability doesn't make me love you less or think less of you. If anything, it makes me love you that much more. Knowing you trust me as much as I trust you."

"I trust you with my life," Jane admitted.

"As I trust you with mine," Maura smiled, taking her hand away from Jane's face to allow herself room to scoot towards the detective and nuzzle into the crook of a tan neck. "I love you so much, Jane Rizzoli. All of you."

"I love all of you, too," Jane said, wrapping her arms around the smaller woman and tugging their bodies impossibly closer. Nuzzling into the blonde curls she loved so much, Jane inhaled deeply and, before sleep claimed her yet again, managed to mumble "Can we watch The Grinch?"

* * *

"Hate, hate, double hate, loathe entirely," Jane mimicked the voice of The Grinch, a content smile on her face as Jo snored softly at her feet and Maura's lap pillowed her head perfectly.

"When you said we should watch Christmas movies all day, I didn't know you meant I'd be treated to an Oscar winning performance by the one and only Jane Rizzoli," Maura teased, twirling a dark curl around her finger.

"Just wait until we watch A Christmas Story," Jane grinned. "Then I'm _really_ gonna be like a kid on Christmas."

"I look forward to that," Maura smiled as she continued to fiddle with Jane's curls.

After falling asleep for a little bit longer, the two women built a blanket fort where they reviewed the next day's court case before lying back down on a pile of pillows to watch Christmas movies as the snow continued to fall outside and plows continued their attempts to clear the streets.

"But we're not gonna watch that one today," Jane noted. "TBS plays it on a 24 hour loop starting Christmas Eve so we'll watch it then and only then so you don't get sick of it."

"And don't forget the Christmas sex by the tree you seemed so excited about when I mentioned it," Maura said.

"I won't," Jane smiled. "You still not gonna tell me what my presents are?"

"Nope."

"Even if I bat my eyelashes and promise to never call Bass a turtle ever again?" Jane asked, rolling onto her back to bat her eyelashes comically up at Maura.

"Nope."

"Fine," Jane huffed. "I'm gonna call him a turtle every day. Give him an identity crisis."

"I love you," Maura laughed as she watched Jane roll back onto her side to face the television, a smile tugging at the detective's lips despite her attempts at keeping a straight face.

Jane's responding mumble sounded suspiciously like 'I love you, too.'

With both women fighting the urge to laugh, the doorbell rang and brought them from the world they had created in the fort.

"It's not my Ma cuz she never rings the bell," Jane said as she reached for her phone and saw an empty screen. "And I don't have any missed calls from anyone."

"Could it be—"

"Maura?"

Jane's body stiffened at the familiar accent that sounded from the other side of the front door.

"He…" she trailed off, unable to properly articulate the thoughts that flooded her mind. "He's here."

"He must have found a flight willing to fly in the snow or some other form of transportation," Maura breathed. "I had no idea he would do that."

"Are you going to-"

The sound of the front door opening stopped Jane mid-sentence.

"Maura, darling? Please tell me you're safe!"

"I gave him a key shortly after I moved in here so he could visit whenever he got the chance," Maura explained when Jane looked up at her with wide eyes. "I'm going to tell him to leave."

Nodding, Jane sat herself up and gave Maura room to exit the fort.

"Come with me," Maura instructed. "Come with me and let me show you how much I love you," she added before kissing Jane softly.

Inhaling deeply, Jane gave Maura a small nod and followed the doctor out of the fort.

"Oh, God, Maura!" Ian breathed when the blonde made her way into the foyer, Jane following behind her. "I was so worried when you sent me that text and then I couldn't get ahold of you. I thought someone had taken you!" he explained, opening his arms and moving quickly to close the distance between he and Maura.

"Stop," Maura commanded, taking a step backwards and putting her hand up to stop the man from continuing.

"Sweetheart?" Ian asked, stopping mid-stride.

"You don't get to call me sweetheart, especially since I thought I told you that I didn't want to see you and that you should never come to my home if you were in the city," Maura said firmly.

"That message didn't sound like you at all," Ian tried to explain. "I tried to call you for an explanation but couldn't get through. I was worried someone had your phone and, thus, you."

"You need to leave," Maura stated. "And give me back the key I gave you."

"I'm not certain I understand what's going on," Ian said, turning to look at Jane who stood a few steps behind Maura. "Is she alright? Has something happened to her?"

Before Jane could think of a reply, Maura turned around and walked to stand beside Jane, an arm coming out to wrap around the detective's midsection. Both wearing a variation of Red Sox hoodie with hair mussed from lounging around the house, they matched each other in more ways than one.

"Jane happened to me," Maura stated, giving the taller woman's waist a gentle squeeze.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Jane has shown me what real love is," Maura explained. "Since our first date in October, the genuine love and compassion I feel from her is unlike any other. I've felt it long before our first date if we're being honest, though," Maura added with a smile.

"The two of you are dating?" Ian asked, eyes darting between the two women who stood before him. Jane was biting the inside of her lip subtly and Maura was proudly standing beside the detective.

"Yes," Maura confirmed. "And I do believe it's a race to see which of us will propose to the other first so it would be very much appreciated if you left our home and never returned."

"I hear what you're saying but I'm honestly rather confused," Ian said. "I thought what you and I had was-"

"Manipulative?" Maura suggested, cutting Ian off before he could continue. "Self-centered? Exhausting? Entirely and completely about you and your desires?"

Ian's jaw dropped and his eyebrows furrowed while Jane's eyes widened.

"Were those not the words you were going to use?" Maura asked.

"No," Ian breathed. "Those aren't the words I was going to use. I was going to say we were a fairy tale. We met while saving lives abroad, the spark never diminished despite the miles between us…" Ian trailed of, missing the way Jane's body tensed at his mention of a fairy tale.

Feeling the detective stiffen beside her, Maura moved to stand in front of Jane and take scarred hands in her own.

"He's wrong and I'm going to tell him how wrong he is," Maura whispered gently as she looked into Jane's eyes. "I love you, Jane. You and only you. Forever."

"No more running," Jane said with a gentle smile.

Giving Jane's hands a squeeze, Maura turned around to take a step towards Ian and look at the confused man in front of her.

"You came into my life when I was fresh off the plane, overwhelmed, and vulnerable," Maura stated. "You saw that I was all of those things and swooped in. And I admit that I was grateful you did that. I was so grateful to have someone to show me how to survive in an environment I was so unaccustomed to and, in time, I became grateful to have arms to hold me at night and someone to share my fears and dreams with and a man who desired me."

"I still desire you, Maura. There's no past tense with that," Ian noted.

"I don't care," Maura stated. "Because as time went on, you never stopped seeing me as that vulnerable and overwhelmed girl who stepped off the plane into unknown Zimbabwean territory. I've grown, Ian, and I've changed so much since the time we were in Africa. But you never saw that. To this day, on some level, you still see me as someone who needs to be saved or who will do your bidding if you kiss me hard enough. Someone who would do anything to keep you in my life just an hour more."

"Maura, darling," Ian tried to counter. "I know you are so much more than the young woman you were when we first met. I know that you've become so much more than anyone of us at that camp ever thought possible. How can you think I don't know how successful you are?"

"Because you continue to swoop into my life and hold me in your arms at night and desire me and yet you leave with just as little notice as your arrival!" Maura said, laughing Ian's ignorance. "You continue to think that I'm the young woman who will drop anything and everything to spend a night with you. And I'm not. I haven't been that girl in quite some time."

"So let me learn you again," Ian smiled. "Come with me to open the clinic in Zimbabwe and let me learn the woman you are now."

"Why would I go to the other side of the globe to have someone learn me when I have someone right here who knows me as well as Jane does?" Maura asked, turning to look over her shoulder to see a soft blush form on Jane's cheeks at the mention of her name.

"Maura-"

"What's my favorite color?" Maura interrupted. "Can you answer that? The most basic fact you could know about a person?"

"Are you seriously asking me if I know your favorite color?" Ian scoffed.

"Yes, I am," Maura confirmed. "Or maybe you could tell me if you know the date of my birth. Or my middle name. Or the first thing on my bucket list. Or the name of the tortoise I bought shortly before leaving for Doctors Without Borders that you so often teased me about when I mentioned I hoped my parents were caring for him. Or my favorite guilty pleasure food. Tell me, Ian. Any of those questions."

Ian stood silently in front of Maura, trying to read the unfamiliar fire in Maura's eyes.

"You can't tell me a single one of those things, can you?" Maura breathed.

"No."

"But you think you have the right to tell me to leave the woman who I love with every fiber of my being because you want to re-learn me?" she asked. "The woman who I already know I'm going to vow to spend my life with and never, ever leave?"

Looking between the doctor before him and the detective who stood a few paces behind her, Ian looked down to his hands and wordlessly removed the key to Maura's house from his key ring.

"I wish you the best," he said as he held the key out to Maura.

"You as well," Maura said, accepting the key stiffly.

"Take care of her, Jane," Ian instructed the brunette.

"I already do," Jane smiled. "And I always will."

With a nod to both women, Ian turned around and made his way towards the front door, exiting the house without another word.

When the door clicked shut behind him, both women let out a deep breath and felt their bodies deflate of air.

"Jane?" Maura asked, fearful that if she turned around Jane would have run.

"I'm right here," Jane noted as she immediately stepped up behind Maura and wrapped her arms around the doctor's midsection.

"Thank you for not running and for trusting in us," Maura smiled as she relaxed into Jane's embrace.

"Sea foam green cuz it reminds you of summers on the beaches of France," Jane murmured as she nuzzled into Maura's curls.

"Pardon?" Maura asked.

"That's your favorite color," Jane noted. "Your birthday is August 7, 1976 and that was the day you were given the middle name Dorthea," she continued. "The first thing on your bucket list is kissing someone at the top of the Eiffel Tower, your tortoise's name is Bass Isles, and you love to soak strawberries in champagne overnight and then dip them in chocolate."

Realizing what Jane was doing, Maura spun around and her arms immediately came out to wrap around the detective's neck.

"I love you," Maura beamed as she held she and Jane's body as close as possible.

For her response, Jane slid her hands down to Maura's thighs and hoisted the blonde up, earning a surprised yelp before silk pajama clad legs wrapped around her waist.

"I love you, too," Jane smiled when Maura pulled her head back to look at Jane. "And I'm going to show you how much I love you inside the fort."

* * *

**Several folks wanted Jane to kick Ian's ass but, as a law enforcement official, I couldn't see her doing that, even in fiction. Plus I felt like Maura needed to take a stand.**

**Also. SO MANY THANKS to those who nominated for Rizzles Fan Awards! Newlyweds, Letters to Maura, and me as an author have been nominated and I am just…I am speechless. Voting begins on Monday but honestly even just being nominated is so wonderful.**


	25. Chapter 25

**Rizzles Fan Awards voting is live for just a few more days! Juuuuust saying.**

**This wasn't where I anticipated this going but, well, it's what happened.**

**Also, there's a line in here that's a nod (not direct quote) to a line from a musical. If you spot the line and can message me with the musical, maybe I'll write you a special one shot as a reward.**

* * *

The smell of coffee brewing made its way into the fort the two women had fallen asleep in, rousing Jane from sleep.

"I love forts but I vote we sleep in a bed tonight," Jane grumbled as she wrapped her arms tighter around the pillow she was snuggled with.

"Okay," came the almost inaudible reply from somewhere elsewhere in the fort.

"Why am I snuggled with a pillow and not you?"

"Sorry."

Though her brain was fogged with sleep, Jane was able to detect the slight tremor in Maura's soft voice and pushed herself into a seated position, using one hand to hold the blanket up around her torso and the other to rub the sleep from her eyes.

"Oh, Maura, sweetheart," Jane murmured when she saw Maura sitting with her knees pulled up to her chest, a few sparse tear tracks lining her face. "What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

Maura simply shook her head and offered Jane a soft smile.

"You're gonna lose your genius certificate if you think I'm gonna let this slide," Jane noted as she scooted towards Maura, shuffling their pile of pillows and blankets around to kneel in front of the doctor, the bedding pooled around her waist and exposing her torso. "Talk to me, sweetheart."

"I love you," Maura whispered.

"I love you, too," Jane smiled, reaching out to grasp Maura's hands in her own and give them a squeeze to encourage the blonde to continue.

"But I hurt you."

"Maura."

"I love you so much but I hurt you so much with my actions," Maura tried to explain. "I ran after Ian contacted me and I let you believe for more than a moment that I would ever leave you. But just now…You…" Maura trailed off, hating herself for the tears that slipped from her eyes.

"What happened just now?" Jane pressed.

"You were snuggling the pillow as you often do when I'm big spoon and you…You nuzzled into the pillow as if it were my chest and you murmured 'Gonna marry you, Maur' in your sleep," Maura explained.

"I _was_ having a pretty good dream."

"There you were, dreaming about marrying me after my ex barged into our home and tried to pull me away with him to another continent," Maura said. "And all of a sudden it just hit me that…That you want me."

"Of course I want you, Maura. Did you ever doubt that?"

"I don't know," Maura admitted. "All I know is that I hurt you so much by running away and by allowing that man into our home and ever giving you reason to doubt my love for you."

"Yeah, you did kinda hurt me," Jane said as she squeezed Maura's hands. "Just like I've hurt you in the past. Cuz let's be real. We both know that I've hurt you and you've hurt me, too. But you mean more to me and I hopefully mean more to you."

"You mean so much to me."

"Exactly," Jane soothed. "We're gonna hurt each other. Lord knows I've done my fair share of running or being a jerk and yet you still want me. So why wouldn't I still want you?"

Maura could only shrug her shoulders in response.

"Come 'ere," Jane said as she opened her arms and beckoned Maura into them, situating Maura sideways on her lap and wrapping them together in a comforter. "The people in your life who just walk in and out whenever the hell they want, who make you feel like you're not wanted unless of immediate use…They make me sick. Like, wanna puke up my guts sick."

"Which is impossible," Maura whispered.

"I know, but that's how much I hate them for making you feel like you're only wanted when you're able to give them medical supplies or an internal organ or whatever the hell those people want. I hate them because, right now, the love of my life is genuinely surprised that I'm still here. The woman I love with my entire being is wondering if she alone, supplies and organs and money aside, is enough to keep people in her life."

"I never said that," Maura tried to reason.

"I'm the Maura Whisperer, remember?" Jane whispered in Maura's ear.

"I feel as though I should be the Jane Whisperer right now, not allowing you to comfort me. You were affected last night just as much as I was."

"Honestly? Watching you verbally shut him down was perfect," Jane smiled. "Seeing you standing proudly in my defense—and the defense of our relationship—was all I could ever need to get closure on this whole Ian debacle."

"Really?"

"Yeah," Jane smiled. "You stood up for me and you stood up for us without a second thought. You proved to him that the woman you are today is so much more than who he thought you were and that he's a big fucking idiot. And me. You proved to me that any lingering doubt I had about Ian being the love of your love…You proved to me that I'm also a big fucking idiot for thinking you'd go back to him."

Unable to think of a response, Maura simply rested her head down onto Jane's shoulder and nuzzled into her neck.

"Now I _really_ don't wanna go to work," Jane chuckled as she held she and Maura's naked bodies close together.

"I want to just stay right here in the fort until Christmas morning," Maura mumbled against Jane's skin.

"Tell me about it," Jane smiled. "But, unfortunately, duty calls and we both have to be in court today. Which means I gotta wear my skirt. And tame my hair. And wear heels," Jane whined.

"Since taming your hair is quite a time consuming ordeal, perhaps we could shower together?" Maura suggested before pursing her lips and beginning to place deliberate, open mouthed kisses on Jane's neck.

"We both know that won't save time," Jane breathed, though she tilted her head to give Maura freer access to her neck.

"Wear your hair in a ponytail, then," Maura murmured, trailing her lips up to kiss Jane's own lips fiercely. "Unless you don't want to," she added softly.

Gently pulling a few inches away from Maura, Jane lifted a hand up to cup Maura's cheek and brush the remnants of tears away. Despite Maura's attempt at using other words, Jane knew what the doctor meant.

_Unless you don't want me._

"I will always want you, Maura," Jane soothed. "And if you wanna go have hot shower sex right now, we can. But you need to promise me that you understand that I want you all of the time, not just when we're having sex."

"I understand," Maura whispered.

"Good," Jane smiled, unwrapping her arms from around Maura and crawling out of the fort to move to the master bathroom.

With their clothes having been shed in the fort the night before, the two women wasted no time in stepping into the shower and simply allowing the hot water to relax their muscles, tense from sleeping in the fort.

When Jane took a small step towards the back of the tub, angling her body so the stream of water hit her shoulders, Maura's lips latched on to her's while her hands cupped Jane's breasts.

"Shit," Jane hissed as deft fingers began to pinch and tug at her rapidly stiffening nipples. "I thought this was about me wanting you, not the other way around," she managed to say in between fierce and frantic kisses.

"I thought it was, too," Maura admitted. "But right now…" she trailed off before lowering herself to her knees. "I think this is what we both want."

Not waiting for a reply, Maura wrapped her hands around Jane's thighs and pressed her lips into Jane's folds. Her tongue instantly darted out to begin probing at Jane's entrance while Jane's hands darted to Maura's head to brush errant strands of wet hair away and give her a clear view of Maura's face.

"You're so good at this," Jane breathed when Maura's tongue traced up to her clit and the doctor brought her fingers to replace where her tongue had been at Jane's entrance. "So fucking good," she groaned when Maura easily slipped two fingers into her warmth.

Maura simply smiled, keeping her eyes up and trained on Jane's face as her lips formed a seal around the detective's clit and she began to suckle firmly on the sensitive bundle. Jane's head was tilted upwards as one hand left Maura's hair to fondle her own breast. Though Maura couldn't maintain the eye-contact she so often loved when being intimate with Jane, the doctor did her best to infuse her actions with as much as love as she could.

"Oh, God," Jane gasped when she looked down and saw Maura looking up at her, her tongue and fingers still working their magic on her body. "Don't stop, Maur. Please don't stop."

Locking her eyes with Jane's, Maura began to thrust into Jane with more force, curling her fingers as she pulled out and running her tongue over Jane's clit rapidly.

"Yes," Jane praised as her thighs began to tremble. "So close."

Maura didn't need the warning, having become familiar with Jane's body, and offered the detective's clit one final, rough suck before Jane's long moan sounded throughout the bathroom and her hand left her breast to press against the tile wall, in need of anything to keep her upright.

Quickly rising to her feet, Maura pressed her lips to Jane's and shared Jane's taste with the detective herself.

Reaching her still shaky hand down to Maura's ass, Jane allowed the doctor to kiss her for a few more moments before pulling away.

"We are _so_ gonna be late for work."

* * *

"Lookin' good there, partner!"

"Ha. Ha," Jane deadpanned as she walked into the squad room, her blazer draped over her arm and legs on display due to her skirt. "You're just jealous that I look better in a skirt than you do, Frost. Don't deny it."

"You caught me," Frost grinned. "And you caught the bad guy and had a solid day in court?"

"Yup," Jane smiled as she eased into her chair. "Maura basically locked down a conviction and I was just there to tack on a few years to the sentence."

"And give the judge something to look at," Korsak noted as he entered the bullpen, a gift bag in his hands. "Jenkins at the front desk said this was dropped off for you. Maybe Judge Fontana missed the memo that you're off the market."

"Pretty sure she saw Maura and I getting a little handsy in the courthouse parking garage," Jane admitted as she reached for the bag Korsak set on her desk.

"Threesome?"

"Shut up, perv," Jane said, tossing a ball of paper at a chuckling Frost.

Rolling her eyes, Jane reached into the gift bag and smiled when she pulled out a bag of chocolate covered espresso beans, a fair trade stamp in the corner of the bag. Setting the bag down onto her desk, Jane reached back into the bag and pulled a card from the bag.

_My Jane,_  
_There aren't enough words in any of the languages I know to adequately express the love and gratitude I feel for you and how you handled the events of the past few days. I am constantly in awe of your compassion, your knowledge of just the right thing to say, and the unconditional love you offer me. I know Christmas is coming up and we'll be exchanging gifts soon but I wanted to give you a small something to show my appreciation for all you have shown me and all you have given me._  
_All my love,_  
_Maura_  
_P.S. I've made an appointment at La Perla for this Saturday as an additional treat. Lingerie shopping, then Christmas tree shopping?_

* * *

**As I said, not where I was expecting this to go but I wanted a touch more closure on the Ian thing and to set us up for the holidays! Rizzles Christmas fluff!**

**Remember! Rizzles Fan Awards voting is live! I'd love a vote!**


	26. Chapter 26

**This chapter is pure, absolutely no plot, smut. The next chapter will really see the start of the holidays so, if smut ain't your thing, you can skip this.**

**I mention some La Perla lingerie in here. Some are just made up but the ones they wear during the, ahem, sexy times, are as follows: Go to the La Perla website and look up these codes for what Maura buys: USCFILPD906071, USCFILPD0018953**

**And for Jane: USCFILPD906411 and USCFILPD0019955**

**Thanks to all of you wonderful, lovely, amazing readers, Newlyweds is Runner Up in the Best Fluff category of the Rizzles Fan Awards! I am so honored and thrilled to be voted for!**

* * *

"Ohmygod. You're going to wear some of these?"

Smiling at Jane's reaction upon entering the La Perla boutique, Maura leaned over to press a kiss to Jane's cheek and whisper teasingly in her ear.

"Any of them you want me to."

"And you expect me to keep my hands to myself while you're trying them on? Or…" Jane trailed off, feeling her arousal begin to skyrocket at the idea of seeing Maura in some of the pieces on display.

"The best part of being such a dedicated customer is the private fitting rooms offered to you," Maura smiled, squeezing Jane's hand that she held in her own. "So, to answer your question, no. I don't particularly expect you to keep your hands to yourself."

Chuckling at the wide eyes of her girlfriend, Maura tugged on the detective's hand to begin their perusal of the lingerie before them.

"Should I even tell you what styles and pieces I prefer or just let you go to town?" Maura asked. "Because I am more than comfortable letting you loose in the store and waiting for your selections in the fitting room. They have a delicious Krug Rosé champagne I can enjoy while you shop."

"You're seriously gonna let me play dress up with you?"

"Mmhmm," Maura hummed. "Of course, I will have veto power if a piece you select is horribly uncomfortable, but you've allowed me to play dress up with you so many times that this only seems fitting."

"I am really, really loving this plan," Jane grinned. "Go drink your fancy schmancy champagne and prepare to give me a fashion show," she commanded.

"I trust you know my measurements?"

"I've had 'em memorized for years," Jane winked before letting Maura's hand go and giving her a light shove. "Now shoo! Go find the dressing rooms. And take your clothes off."

With one final smile in the detective's direction, Maura made her way towards the nearest saleswoman to be escorted to the lower level dressing rooms while Jane excitedly began to peruse the shop.

"She seems quite eager," the saleswoman noted as she unlocked the large fitting room for Maura, a large curtain dividing the room in half with one half featuring a bench for the viewer to sit on and the other side designated for the customer to change.

"Our relationship is still rather new," Maura smiled. "But I believe she is starting to overcome her hesitancy to be affectionate in public and, thus, is eager to make up for lost time."

"Well, in case she gets a bit too eager, we simply ask that you let us know which surfaces might need a bit more disinfectant than others," the woman winked.

Maura's response came in the form of a blush rising in her cheeks.

"As usual, your champagne is chilling on the table next to the bench," the saleswoman smiled as she nodded towards a silver bucket with the pale pink champagne. "We've placed a robe and nude thong in the other half of the room."

"Thank you," Maura replied. "I trust you'll let Jane know that I'm ready whenever she is?"

"I'll pass along the message to her," the woman laughed. "And congratulations, by the way. On the new relationship. You two really look like you're in love."

"Hopelessly, madly in love," Maura stated.

"Well, it shows," the woman noted. "I'll go let her know you're waiting."

And with that, the woman slipped from the dressing room and gave Maura the privacy to pull off her dress and, placing it on the hanger where the silk robe once hung, pull on the nude thong and loosely tie the robe around her. Slipping her heels off, Maura walked towards the champagne bottle while pulling her hair up into a loose bun.

Once she had poured herself a glass, the doctor sat down on the plush covered bench and began to sip the sparkling liquid while waiting for her detective to join her.

Maura was nearly done with her leisurely glass of champagne when a knock rang through the dressing room.

"Yes?" Maura asked coquettishly.

"Maura," Jane nearly whined. "Let me in."

Laughing, Maura rose to her feet and quickly crossed the dressing room, smiling when she saw the large bounty of garments Jane had selected for her to try on.

"You worked quickly, I see," Maura noted as Jane breezed past her into the dressing room.

"Yup," Jane agreed. "I even got a thing or two for me to try on."

"You did?"

"Don't sound so surprised," Jane laughed as she slipped past the curtain dividing the room and placed the garments gently down on the small stool. "Besides, the sales lady up there told me that she thought I'd look good in the pieces and I thought I'd give 'em a try."

"She told you she thought you would look good in the pieces?" Maura asked. "Which means she was imagining you in lingerie," she continued. "Remind me to have her fired."

Shaking her head, Jane re-emerged from behind the curtain and quickly pulled a grinning Maura into her arms.

"There's no need to fire the poor lady," Jane noted, hands sliding down to grasp a silk covered ass. "She can imagine all she wants, but only you will ever get to see me in any sort of lingerie. I am all your's."

"That's right," Maura huffed, tilting her head up to take Jane's earlobe between her teeth in lieu of leaving a hickey on the taller woman's neck. "And I'm going to see you try this lingerie on right now," she stated.

"Nope," Jane smiled.

"Pardon?" Maura asked, pulling away to look up at Jane's face.

"I'm gonna keep it a surprise until we get home. Cuz I have a feeling you'll have a hard time keeping your hands to yourself once you see me in the pieces and I really, really don't know how I feel about sex in a fitting room," Jane smirked. "But you, my dearest, are trying on every single piece I picked out for you."

Maura's eyebrow arched.

"Please?"

"Fine," Maura sighed in mock annoyance. "But I get to keep one a secret from you as payback!"

"I am more than fine with that," Jane smiled, kissing Maura briefly. "Now go get changed. I'm waiting for my fashion show!"

And with that, Maura slipped behind the curtain and began to slide into the various pieces of lingerie chosen by the detective.

Red lace that molded to Maura's breasts perfectly and left very little of her lower half to anyone's imagination.

Bright white silk that Jane's hands couldn't help but reach out to run over or slip under.

Cobalt blue with soft glitter woven through the fabric, catching the light and catching Jane's breath in her throat.

Soft green with a darker green bow at each shoulder and hipbone that Jane instinctively wanted to reach out to kiss.

When Maura stepped out from behind the curtain wearing a black bustier with a nearly sheer midsection, her heels slipped back on, Jane couldn't wait for Maura to make her way from the curtain to the bench on which Jane sat. Instead, Jane rose to her feet and quickly crossed the expansive fitting room, hands coming out to grasp at her girlfriend's hips.

"How on Earth can you be more more irresistible when you're more covered up than when you're wearing those other pieces?" Jane husked

"I'm not sure I have an answer for that," Maura gasped as strong hands began to gently massage her hips.

With steady hands, Jane turned Maura around and, with her hands still on the doctor's hips, guided them back to the half of the dressing room with the full length mirror.

"I just have one suggestion to make on this outfit," Jane breathed when she stood with Maura in front of the mirror, both women's bodies in the reflection. Realizing Maura was waiting for her, Jane let go of one supple hip and pulled the clip from Maura's hair, golden curls tumbling onto Maura's shoulders. "That's better."

"I think this one is a keeper," Maura whispered as her eyes locked on Jane's in their reflection, lust displayed clearly in both hazel and brown orbs.

"Oh, yeah," Jane smiled, her hands sliding down to gently run her fingertips up and down the front of Maura's upper thighs.

"I thought you said you weren't okay with the idea of sex in a fitting room," Maura sighed, fighting the urge to close her eyes so she could keep her eyes on she and Jane's reflection.

"I'm not," Jane shrugged. "But I am okay with pushing back our Christmas tree hunt until later tonight so we can stop at home before picking out the tree."

"I'm not sure I can wait until we're home," Maura admitted.

"Maur…" Jane trailed off, fighting a battle within herself that couldn't decide if she wanted to take Maura in the dressing room or get them out of the shop as soon as possible.

"Well, I think we can reach a happy medium," Maura stated before quickly slipping from Jane's embrace and tugging the detective back to the large plush bench. Pushing down on Jane's shoulders, Maura encouraged the brunette to sit on one end of the bench before shimmying out of the bustier, black underwear, and nude thong.

"Maura, what are you doing?" Jane whispered, watching with wide eyes as Maura sat facing Jane on the bench, one leg bent at the knee and resting on the bench and the other leg left hanging down to reach the floor.

"Just taking the edge off until we get home," Maura replied, her right hand quickly moving to begin rubbing circles over her already swollen clit.

"Sweet Jesus."

"It won't take long," Maura breathed as she realized just how close modeling for Jane and seeing the detective's hungry eyes on her brought her to orgasm.

Eyes glued to Maura's manicured fingers working quick circles over herself, her obvious arousal evident in the lighting, Jane found herself enraptured with the involuntary jerks of Maura's hips and the stifled moans the doctor held back in the name of propriety.

"Come for me, Maura," Jane commanded in a whisper. "Come so we can get home and do this for as long as we want."

As usual, Jane's voice provided the extra push Maura needed to fall over the edge and, with a harshly arched back, the doctor came in a shuddering orgasm.

When Maura's eyes opened, it was to see Jane eyeing her hungrily.

"Get dressed and check out," Jane commanded. "What I chose for myself is already being held behind the counter. I'll be waiting in the car."

* * *

The door between the main house and guest house was locked, as was the bedroom door, and both women were breathing heavily with arousal while standing before each other in their newly purchased lingerie. At least for the moment, the frantic pace set earlier had slowed to a simmer.

"I like that you chose pieces in my favorite color," Maura murmured as she reached out to trace the scalloped top of Jane's sea foam colored bra.

"Just like you did," Jane smiled, her eyes taking in the purple silk laid over the champagne colored silk of Maura's push up bra and panties.

"This whole journey started with me knowing your favorite color," Maura noted, flashing back to the day in the squadroom when news of the New Haven undercover operation was in the beginning stages.

"And now look where we are," Jane grinned, gripping the outside of Maura's thighs and hoisting her up. "About to make sweet, sweet love before picking out our Christmas tree to display in our home."

"After lingerie shopping together," Maura added with a smile.

"How did I get so damn lucky?" Jane asked as she gently placed Maura on the bed and, once the blonde scooted up, climbed atop her.

"Well," Maura began, her hands sliding between their bodies to grasp Jane's breasts over the green material covering them. "Knowing my favorite color seems to have worked in your favor."

"And knowing what you'd be in a past life," Jane hummed as she began to place wet, open mouthed kisses down Maura's neck and collarbone. "And what you'd save first if our house caught fire," she murmured, poking her tongue out to trace where purple lace met the tops of pale breasts. "And your birthday...your middle name...your tortoise's name...and your guilty pleasure food," Jane noted, kissing any part of Maura's skin she could reach in between phrases.

"Jane," Maura breathed, hands tightening their grip on firm breasts and back arching towards the gentle ministrations of the detective.

"Mmm?"

"I need to feel your hands on me," the doctor breathed. "Both of them," she added, looking up into Jane's eyes and hoping the detective would catch on.

"Can we try the other one we bought?" Jane asked. "Ya know, the one with two ends so we both get a little something extra."

"God, yes," Maura nodded. "Bring the traditional style harness and double ended one. Quickly."

Clambering off the bed, Jane disappeared into the closet and re-emerged with the soft purple toy and harness, dropping them next to Maura before resuming her post above the smaller woman and kissing her fiercely. The kiss continued, moans leaving each woman's mouth and being captured by the other's, as two sets of hands roamed freely and unclasped bras, flinging the garments away from the bed. After a few moments of enjoying their breasts pressed together, Jane felt a soft hand tugging at her newly purchased underwear.

"Off," Maura commanded.

Wriggling her hips, Jane was able to help Maura push them down far enough for Jane to kick her leg and fling the matching underwear away.

"Allow me to do the honors," Maura smiled as she brought the dildo down to Jane's folds, running the smaller, bulbous end through thick wetness in preparation for it's entrance into Jane's body.

"Holy fuck," Jane groaned when she felt the bulbous end pressing against her entrance and, after a moment of relaxation, slip entirely into her and nestle at the sweet spot of her upper wall that only Maura has been able to properly stimulate.

Eager for her own chance at pleasure, Maura hurriedly made the traditional style harness slide up Jane's hips and tightened it to hold the dildo in place, tugging her own new panties off once Jane was fully prepared.

At Maura's soft smile, Jane knew her love was ready for her and, with one hand keeping her propped above Maura, grasped the toy and positioned it at Maura's entrance. With each inch she pushed in, the end inside of her provided delicious stimulation and her head dropped to Maura's neck as soon as their pelvises were flush against each other.

"If I start moving, I'm gonna come," Jane warned, keeping her hips still and lips pursed against Maura's pulsepoint.

"So let me move."

Before Jane could ask what the doctor meant, Jane felt strong legs wrap around her waist and felt herself being rolled over until Maura's was on top of her, the toy still nestled within both of them.

"I really like being on top," Maura smiled as she began to rock her hips, keeping the toy deep inside of her and causing the end inside of Jane to rub against her upper walls with just enough pressure to keep her steadily moving towards the edge.

"Oh, god," Jane moaned, her head thrown back against the pillows in pleasure. "Ride me," she breathed, her mind far too aroused to censor herself.

"What was that you asked me to do?" Maura teased, continuing to rock her hips back and forth.

"You heard me," Jane whispered, hands coming up to grip Maura's thighs before relaxing her head and, instead of looking towards the ceiling, met Maura's eyes. "Ride me."

With a smirk on her face, Maura began to do just as Jane demanded and began to move her body up and down, the dildo growing wetter with each stroke inside of her. Golden curls began to bounce with the doctor's movements, her breasts joining the rhythm as well.

"So good," Maura praised as she felt Jane's hands grip her hips tighter to help guide her up and pull her forcefully back down, the bulb inside of Jane pleasing the detective almost as much as the phallus was pleasing the doctor.

"Maur," Jane gasped. "Something feels-oh, God- different," she tried to explain.

"Just let go," Maura insisted, her body never stopping its up and down movements on the toy. "Let go completely, Jane," the doctor encouraged as she brought a hand down to her clit to begin rubbing it.

Clenching her eyes shut, Jane became acutely aware of the pressure building inside of her body. It brought her back to her first time with Maura and the gentle way the doctor had reminded her that their relationship was a safe space to let go.

"Maura," Jane pleaded, though for what she wasn't entirely sure.

"Come, Jane."

Unable to silence the low, primal moans that came from deep within her, Jane felt as though her entire body was on a live wire of nothing but passion as the steady rhythm and tapping of the bulb inside of her prompted a tsunami of an orgasm.

A splash of clear liquid spilled from Jane, soaking the harness and the thighs of both Jane and Maura as the blonde bounded up and down a few more times before her own, slightly less powerful, orgasm washed over her and she could do nothing but slump down against Jane, the toy still nestled inside them both.

Jane let out an unintelligible noise as her trembling hands came to wrap around Maura's back.

"Oh, my God," she whispered, desperately trying to stop the tremble in her hands. "Oh, my God," she repeated.

"I feel both proud that I could assist you in achieving a g-spot orgasm, a tad bit jealous that you've experienced it while I haven't, and absolutely ready to rip this harness off of you and taste everything you have to offer," Maura stated, her voice breathy and low.

"Did that really just happen?" Jane murmured. "Cuz I never knew sex could be _that_ good."

"I can assure you that did just happen," Maura chucked as she lifted her head up to kiss Jane's lips softly, aware that the brunette's breathing was still shaky. "The evidence between our legs is more than enough proof."

"Shit," Jane breathed. "We have _got_ to go lingerie shopping more often."

* * *

I** don't know if I'm embarrassed that I just wrote. 3000 words of smut or proud.**

**Also. For Rizzles holidays. Do we want Constance and Richard to make an in person appearance? Or Skype in? Skype in then 'Surprise we're in your guest house!'? Lemme know!**


	27. Chapter 27

**As some of ya'll may know, Letters to Maura is now complete and this is my only in progress fic. Or at least the only in-progress one ya'll know of. I'm working on one on the side that I will only begin to publish when complete, which means I don't have any pressure to update that. So hopefully updates to Newlyweds will come more frequently!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

With the toy still nestled in both women, Jane's hands tightened their hold around Maura when they heard the doctor's phone begin to ring.

"Don't move," Jane commanded, her body still on overdrive from the orgasm she'd just experienced.

"It could be-"

"That's not your work or dispatch ringtone, so whoever it could be can leave a message," Jane noted. "Cuz I'm pretty sure I'll die if this thing inside me moves."

"So me ripping this harness off and going down on you as means to tidy you up instead of a shower is a no-go?" Maura asked with a soft smile, her hands beginning to fiddle with the ends of Jane's hair that were splayed out on the pillow.

"I would literally explode."

"Okay," Maura chuckled, adjusting her head to allow her ear to rest over Jane's heart. "I'm just going to listen to your heart and you tell me when you're comfortable enough to move."

"Mmkay," Jane hummed, her fingers tracing small patterns on the skin of Maura's back as she willed her body to somehow come down from the explosive high it has been brought to.

For the next ten minutes, both women laid on the bed in comfortable silence. The scent of arousal filled the air and Maura could hardly contain her smile the entire duration of their relaxation. The vulnerability Jane was willing to display, both physical and emotional, when around Maura made the blonde's heart soar.

"I think I've calmed down enough to where I won't explode die if we extract this thing from us," Jane's voice husked, breaking the silence.

"I'm glad," Maura replied, lifting her head up to smile at Jane. "I'm going to lift myself off of you now," she warned before pulling her hips up and allowing the dildo to slide out of her, easily aided by the copious amounts of moisture on the toy. Settling on her knees in between Jane's legs, the detective recognized the look in Maura's eyes.

"Another time I'd probably find it weirdly arousing to watch you go down on this thing, but uh-uh," Jane said, hands coming down to the clasps at the harness and undoing them.

"Another time, then," Maura shrugged before slowly maneuvering the harness away from the toy nestled inside of Jane and pulling it down long legs to be tossed on the floor. "Just take a deep breath and relax," Maura commanded as she grasped the toy just above where it entered Jane and, with swift yet gentle motions, freed the end from Jane.

A hiss of pleasure and a slightly arched back were Jane's response to Maura's actions, though her body relaxed back against the bed shortly after.

"If you'd like to take a shower to rinse off before we pick out a Christmas tree, I'll go prepare us a snack to tide us over until dinner time," Maura explained as she crawled up the bed, careful to keep herself propped on hands and knees without touching Jane's body, and kissed the detective's lips gently.

Receiving a nod from Jane, Maura slid off the bed and, tugging on a robe, made her way to the guest bathroom to tidy herself up.

Once Jane made her way to the en-suite bathroom and quickly rinsed off, she tugged on a pair of jeans, BPD hoodie, and jogged down the stairs to greet Maura in the kitchen.

"Hey," Jane smiled, wrapping her arms around Maura from behind and kissing the doctor's cheek.

"Hey, yourself," Maura replied. "Feeling a bit less like you might die or explode?" she teased while finishing her snack.

"Much less like that," Jane grinned. "But now I'm feeling starved. What's our pre-tree shopping snack?"

"_Your_ snack is a peanut butter and fluff sandwich," Maura explained as she pointed to the plate with Jane's sandwich. "Mine is a whole wheat wrap with turkey, lettuce, and tomato."

"You're the best," Jane beamed as she moved away from Maura to hop onto the barstool at the kitchen island. "Did you check who it was that called you?"

"Oh, yes," Maura smiled. "It was my mother. She doesn't think she and my father will be able to join us for Christmas but was hoping the four of us could Skype on Christmas Eve to open presents so as not to interrupt the festivities happening here on Christmas Day."

"Aw, I'm sorry they can't make it to Boston," Jane said, reaching to give Maura's knee a squeeze once the blonde sat next to her on another barstool.

"I am a bit bummed they won't be here, but the fact that she is the one who requested that we Skype and that she remembered we would all do that should they be unable to fly in…That means a lot."

"It sure does," Jane replied. "Remind me on Monday and I'll make sure to drop their presents off at the post office and make sure they're delivered to your folks by Christmas Eve."

"Thank you," Maura smiled. "Now hurry up and eat! We have a tree to pick out!"

* * *

The tree lot was buzzing with dozens of families all seeking their Christmas tree, children weaving in and out of the trees eagerly. The snow was falling lightly as the sun began to set. Maura and Jane were walking with their arms wrapped around each other's waists, bundled up against the cold with hats, scarves, and gloves. They each wore jeans and had buttoned their coats up as high as possible to protect from the chilly Boston winter and Jo, who Maura insisted they bring, was running as far as her leash would allow..

"I feel like I'm in one of those cheesy romantic holiday movies," Maura noted as they leisurely wandered around the lot.

"In a good way or bad way?"

"Good way," Maura replied. "It's just...The snow is falling just enough to leave flakes on our hats and eyelashes and we're snuggled up as we look for our first Christmas tree with our dog. I have no doubt we'll go home, attempt to untangle the Christmas lights you've provided, and then give up and drink hot cocoa with peppermint Schnapps all night."

"Mmm, that does sound like an accurate portrayal of how tonight is going to go," Jane laughed. "I never thought I'd ever want to live out my own cheesy romantic movie but I kinda like doing that with you."

"I kinda like doing that with you, too," Maura smiled. "Oh, look at this one!" she beamed, directing Jane towards a tree a few feet to their right. "It looks like it's the right size for our living room,"

"It's certainly the right height," Jane noted as she sized the tree up. "But it's a little wider than the average tree. A little plump."

"Is that a bad thing? I'm sure between your mother's collection of family ornaments and the ones I've just purchased, we'll have more than enough to decorate the tree," Maura noted.

"I'm not worried about decorating it," Jane laughed. "I'm worried about getting it up your front porch and into the living room without breaking my back."

"I wasn't going to make you do it on your own," Maura noted, bending down to scoop up Jo into her arms and bring the dog close to her for warmth. "What do you think, Jo? Is this the tree you vote for?"

When Jo looked away from Maura to look over at Jane and cocked her head to the side, the detective couldn't help but laugh at the familiar head tilt.

"You've been spending too much time with Mama Maura, Jo," Jane laughed.

"So, we'll take that as a yes to this tree?" Maura asked, tilting her own head to match the small terrier's and offering Jane a grin.

"That head tilt is gonna be the death of me" Jane chuckled, though she wrapped an arm around Maura's waist and brought her in for chilly kiss. "Especially if you teach it to the kids. Then I'm _really_ screwed."

* * *

"I did it," Jane huffed as she looked at their Christmas tree.

"Jane?"

"Yeah?"

"You got the tree off of the top of your cruiser and onto the front lawn," Maura noted, fighting back a smile. "It still somehow has to make its way up the front porch, into the house, and positioned upright in the stand."

"I knew that," Jane stated, taking a few deep breaths. "Just gimme a sec."

"I can't let you continue trying to do this on your own," Maura stated, walking across the snowy lawn to run her hands up and down Jane's spine. With her free hand, she pulled her cell phone from her coat pocket and quickly dialed. "Yes, we're on the front lawn now," Maura spoke into the phone. "She's refused to let me help but reinforcements are certainly required. Thank you."

"Please don't tell me that Korsak is gonna come out and show me up," Jane groaned.

Before she could answer, Maura heard the door to the guest house fly open and small feet crunch through the snow before coming to a sudden halt.

"That is the biggest Christmas tree I have ever seen!" TJ exclaimed. "Nana! Daddy! Uncle Frankie! Come out and see this! It's the biggest one in the whole world!"

Looking up, Jane saw her mother, brothers, and nephew all making their way towards the two women and the large tree.

"I texted your mother before we left the tree lot," Maura explained just before she felt the small toddler come crashing into her legs.

"You need my help gettin' the tree into your house?" TJ asked, looking up at Maura with a toothy grin.

"I think we're gonna need all the help we can get, Teej," Frankie said when he saw the size of the tree. "This is huge."

"Blame Maura," Jane said as she ruffled her nephew's hair and gave her brothers a grateful smile. "Thanks for coming to help, guys."

"Anything for family," Tommy smiled. "Now let's get this tree up so we can start decorating!"

With the entire group helping to hoist the tree up and young TJ scurrying behind them to collect the fallen pine needles in his hands, the large Christmas tree soon found its way up the front porch and propped tightly in the tree stand in the corner of Maura's spacious living room.

"It's even bigger than I thought!" TJ beamed. "It's, like, a hundred feet tall!"

"Pretty close to it," Jane breathed, making her way over to Maura and kissing her cheek. "Whaddya think? Is it as perfect as you thought it would be?"

"Yes," Maura nodded. "And once we get the ornaments up, it will be even better."

"I love you," Jane smiled. "Thank you for bringing our family in for reinforcements cuz that tree was ginormous."

"I will never stop loving how it sounds to hear you say our family," Maura admitted as she rested her head onto Jane's shoulder and watched as the two Rizzoli brothers and TJ accepted mugs of hot cocoa Angela had prepared.

"Well, that's good cuz' I don't plan on ever _not_ calling this crazy group of weirdos our family," Jane laughed. "Unless you make fun of me for all the ridiculous ornaments Ma is gonna show you with photos of me growing up. Then we might have an issue."

"What if I join you in making fun of the ornaments with photos of your brothers?" Maura asked, watching as the two men pulled marshmallow after marshmallow from the bag and stuffed them in their cheeks, TJ attempting to keep up with their antics.

"Then let's get started!" Jane smirked, slipping her hand from around Maura's waist to grasp at the doctor's hand and tug her towards the couches, the two women joining their family on the couches before the tree decoration began.

* * *

**A shorter, filler chapter but I think we all needed a little bit of a cool down after the last chapter. As always, let me know if you have any suggestions you'd like worked into a chapter!**


	28. Chapter 28

**I think that, because my mental health and home life have been so horrible, I'm throwing myself into writing this fluff for ya'll. So yay for ya'll getting more updates!**

**Onwards and upwards!**

* * *

The days leading up to Christmas Eve were a blur for the team. The bitter Boston winter had seemed to keep criminals indoors and most days at the station were spent tying up loose paperwork ends, making court appearances, and triple checking that they most definitely weren't on call for the next two days.

Finally, at 5pm on the day before Christmas Eve, Maura made her way up to the squadroom and began to walk towards Jane's desk.

"Stop!" Jane said, looking up at Maura as she approached. "Stay right there."

"Jane?" Maura asked, halting her progress and giving the detective an inquisitive look.

"Somebody," Jane stated, shooting Frost a glare as he attempted to hide his grin, "has attached mistletoe to the ceiling above my desk," she explained, pointing up to the green bundle that was indeed duct taped above her desk.

"My, my, Detective Frost," Maura said, looking over towards the snickering man. "If you wanted a show, all you had to do was ask. No need to be sneaky with the mistletoe."

"Maura!"

"I'm joking," Maura laughed as she saw the blush rising on her girlfriend's cheeks. "We most certainly won't be putting on a show for Barry," she added as she made her way to Jane's desk and perched on the edge. "But we certainly will be heading home now, correct?"

"Just have to print, sign, and deliver this form to Cav's mailbox and we are free," Jane smiled as she looked up at her beaming girlfriend. "Which means I get to open a present early."

"Mmm, no," Maura replied. "We are waiting until Christmas Day and that is final."

"Fun sucker," Jane mumbled.

"You ladies do know it's bad luck to not kiss under mistletoe, right?" Frost piped up.

"Yeah, I always avoided kissing under the mistletoe and I'm three marriages down," Korsak added.

"You guys are like prepubescent boys," Jane sighed as she stood up, signed her form while standing at the printer, and slid it into her lieutenant's mailbox. "This is why I didn't invite you over for family Christmas."

"You didn't invite us cuz you knew I'd be with my girlfriend and Korsak has his hot holiday date with KiKi," Frost retorted.

Jane's glare was her only response as she returned to her desk to pull on her blazer and shut off her computer.

Chuckling at the team's behaviour, Maura stood up and, placing a hand on Jane's arm, gave the detective's cheek a soft kiss.

"There," Maura smiled, linking her arm with Jane's and turning to face the other detectives. "Satisfied?"

"With the way Rizzoli is blushing? Hell yeah," Korsak teased, prompting a round of laughter from he and Frost.

"You two gentlemen have a nice Christmas," Maura said, shaking her head at their laughter while beginning to guide Jane towards the elevators.

"Stupid men," Jane grumbled when they made it to the elevator.

"They tease from a good place in their hearts," Maura reminded Jane. "Now stop pouting."

"Why?"

"Because I want to give you a proper kiss and can't very well do that while you're pouting like a child who got coal for Christmas."

Perking up, Jane turned to face Maura and was rewarded with a kiss.

"You know," Jane stated as the elevator brought them to the parking garage and they began to make their way to the car. "You once mentioned sex by the Christmas tree and I think tonight would be a really good night for that. Ma is crashing with Tommy to help with TJ duty cuz that kid is so hyped up on holiday cheer and we won't have to worry about anyone barging in."

"I like the way you think, detective," Maura noted as she slid into Jane's cruiser and the two women began to make their way down the streets to Beacon Hill. "Sex still won't get you your present early, though."

"But I'll be unwrapping you and that's just as good as any present," Jane teased, waggling her eyebrows comically.

"That was cheesy even for you."

* * *

With the Detective Rizzoli and Doctor Isles personas being left with the brushed off and stomped off snow on the front porch, Jane and Maura found themselves snuggled together on the floor of their living room, both the flames of the fireplace and the Christmas tree lights dancing on their smiling faces.

"Why is it I feel like a big ball of mushy gushy emotions when I look at you?" Jane asked, reaching her hand up to brush her thumb along Maura's cheekbone.

"Mushy gushy emotions?" Maura grinned.

"Yeah, like, all warm and fuzzy inside," Jane tried to explain.

"I'm fairly certain that's the fire and large quilt we're under," Maura noted.

"Nope," Jane said, rolling over to rest on her forearms above Maura and look down at the blonde, eyes sparking with the multicolored lights from the nearby tree. "Pretty sure it's all you."

"I hate that this is the second time I've grown emotional during sex but…" Maura trailed off, her hands trailing up Jane's arms and coming to rest around Jane's neck. "Thank you," she softly smiled, willing the emotions to stay relatively calm within her as she fiddled with the curls at the base of Jane's neck. "For giving me all the love you've given me and choosing to share your life with me in every way you have and every way you hopefully will in the future."

"Oh, there's no hopefully about it," Jane smiled, pressing a gentle kiss to Maura's lips. "You're totally stuck with me forever."

"I wouldn't want it any other way," Maura replied. "I love you so much, my sweet girl. So, so much."

"I love you, too, Maur," Jane said, leaning down to begin peppering kisses down Maura's jawline and neck, though soft hands moved to grip her shoulders when she began to slide down Maura's chest.

"No," Maura whispered. "Stay up here. With me."

Nodding, Jane once again reconnected their lips in a passionate kiss, settling her lower half down so she was straddling one of Maura's thighs while her own thigh pressed up against Maura's core. As tongues entered the kiss, followed soon after by gently nipping teeth, Jane began to roll her hips in just the perfect way to stimulate both women.

"Oh, Jane," Maura moaned, her hands moving down to grasp Jane's hips and feel the rocking of their bodies with as many parts of her body as possible.

"This feel okay?" Jane asked, her hips never stilling as she looked down at the woman below her. Parted lips, a flushed chest, and eyes that shone up at Jane with adoration all combined to catch Jane's breath in her throat.

"Yes," Maura breathed, nodding her head for emphasis. "Please keep going."

Dropping her head down to Maura's neck, Jane felt their breasts and stomachs, starting to grow slick with sweat from both the fireplace and arousal, press together and begin to glide against each other, the friction eliciting moans from both women.

"I love you," Jane breathed, her breath washing over Maura's ear as she spoke directly to the doctor.

"Jane," Maura gasped, her hips canting up to meet Jane's downward thrusts.

"I love you so much, Maura," Jane repeated, keeping her lips only millimeters away from Maura's ear.

"Come with me?" Maura managed to ask, her breath coming in shorter and shorter bursts as Jane's muscled thigh provided friction against her clit. "Please, Jane," she added eagerly.

Nodding her head, Jane pressed a kiss to the soft skin below Maura's earlobe before lifting her head and allowing herself to watch as pleasure manifested itself on her love's face. Her hips began to grind down on Maura's thigh faster, the hands clutching at her shoulders telling her that Maura was just as close as she was.

"Open your eyes," Jane said as she began to thrust her hips more forcefully against Maura, nearly synchronized gasps coming from both women.

Forcing her eyes open, Maura lasted only a few seconds of eye contact with Jane above her before her back arched off the living room floor and she came, the flames of the fireplace and the twinkling colored lights illuminating her glistening skin.

Smiling at the beauty beneath her, Jane's body gave into pleasure just a few moments after Maura's and she let out a shuddering breath, keeping her hips moving until both women's bodies fell limply to their floor, legs tangled together.

"I'm an even bigger ball of mush now," Jane mumbled as she rolled off of Maura and instantly tugged the blonde into her arms, Jane lying on her back and Maura on her side molded to Jane.

"I think that may be the most scientific word for my feelings as well," Maura hummed as she nuzzled her face against Jane's neck. "So lets just spend the rest of the night right here being big balls of mush together."

"Deal."

* * *

"Does this sweater look better with my hair up or down?"

"Are you, Jane Rizzoli, really asking me for fashion advice?" Maura teased from her spot on the couch where she and Jane were planning to Skype her parents on Christmas Eve.

"I just wanna look nice for your folks," Jane tried to defend. "So be nice or I'll put on my ugliest Christmas sweater and reindeer antlers for this Skype date."

"I'm not sure how serious you are about owning those things, so I'm not even going to risk it," Maura laughed. "Your hair looks lovely down."

"Kay, that's what I was hoping you'd say," Jane smiled as she sat on the couch and wrapped an arm around Maura. The presents Constance and Richard had sent them were sitting on the coffee table next to the laptop and Jane had let Maura know the presents for Constance and Richard were in their possession. "Time to call the folks?"

"They're online so, yes, I do believe so," Maura smiled as she relaxed into Jane's embrace and hit the call button.

"Hello, Maura, darling," Constance greeted, though her face was turned towards her husband. "I've tried telling your father that this Santa hat is not exactly his style but he refuses to listen," she explained as Richard kept a firm grip on the Santa hat he wore.

"Oh, my goodness," Maura laughed as she looked at the grin her father was directing at the webcam.

"Hello, ladies," Richard smiled. "How do I look?"

"You are lookin' mighty fine there, sir," Jane smiled.

"Very handsome, father," Maura added.

"Maura! I thought you were supposed to be on my side! Remember, we're to cause the the others death by Isles?" Constance laughed.

"Sorry, mother," Maura chuckled. "But perhaps we can allow father this fashion faux paus just this once, in the name of holiday cheer."

"I suppose," Constance sighed, giving Richard one last glare before turning to face the webcam and get a look at her daughter and Jane. "You two are looking very lovely today. Very happy."

"We do wish we could see your happiness in person, darling," Richard said.

"I wish you were here, too," Maura admitted. "But let's not dwell on the sadness. Let's spend some time catching up before we get to opening presents."

"Yes, that sounds like-"

"Nana?" a small voice came from Maura's parent's webcam. "Oopsie. I forgots you were here. Sorry!"

"Mother?" Maura asked. "Who was that who just called into your room looking for their nana?"

"It looks like the surprise is playing out in a way we hadn't anticipated," Richard laughed as he turned from the doorway back to look at his daughter through the webcam. "That was TJ."

"TJ?" Maura repeated. "As in, Tommy Junior? Jane's nephew Tommy Junior?"

"The one and only," Constance smiled.

"And he's…"

"He's currently in your guest house looking for his Nana," Constance finished.

"Which means…" Maura trailed off, looking between the screen with her smiling parents and her girlfriend. "You two are in the guest house?"

"Surprise," was Richard's simple response.

Without waiting another moment, Maura nearly leapt from the couch she had been snuggling with Jane on and made her way as quickly to her guest house as possible, flinging the doors open until she was standing in the foyer to the guest house, Richard and Constance already out of the guest house office and waiting for their daughter.

"Oh, my God," Maura breathed as she took in the sight of her mother and father, still in his Santa hat, standing in her guest house. "Oh, my God!" she repeated, laughing as she quickly crossed the foyer and pulled her parents into a fierce embrace.

"Merry Christmas, sweetheart," Richard smiled as he embraced his wife and daughter.

"You're here," Maura murmured, not yet willing to let her parents go.

"Yes we are," Constance said, looking up to see Jane standing in the entryway to the guesthouse. When their eyes met, Jane offered the older woman two thumbs up and a large smile, her heart swelling as she saw Constance's arms tighten around Maura just a little bit more.

"Did I ruin the surprise?"

Looking down at a wide eyed TJ, Jane knelt down and gave the toddler a smile.

"Not at all, little buddy," Jane smiled as she reached out to tickle his stomach, earning a giggle as his small hands tried to fight Jane's off.

"You!"

Jane looked up from tickling her nephew to see Maura had reluctantly pulled away from her parents' embrace and was looking at Jane.

"You knew they were coming, didn't you?" she asked.

"I completely and totally plead the fifth," Jane stated, grinning at her girlfriend.

"Thank you, Jane," Maura smiled. "This is a wonderful Christmas present."

"Oh, this isn't my gift to you," Jane clarified, ushering TJ towards the guest house kitchen where Angela was keeping herself occupied. "This was all their idea," she explained, gesturing to Constance and Richard. "They wanted to surprise you, they wanted to hide out in your guest house, and they wanted me to keep it a secret. I did nothing but imply I'd mailed their presents when really I'd just hidden them in the guest house so we could open them in person."

Looking to her parents for confirmation, she received two nods that confirmed her parents truly were the ones to suggest the holiday surprise.

"We've spent far too many holidays apart," Constance said with a sad smile. "But, with your blessing, we hope to make up for lost time."

Another tight embrace served as Maura's positive reply.

* * *

**Sorry, not sorry for the sexytimes.**

**Reviews make my heart smile and my fingers type!**


	29. Chapter 29

**I am constantly in awe of the positive responses ya'll give me.**

**Enjoy Christmas with the Rizzoli and Isles family!**

* * *

Though Jane truly believed her place was at Maura's side, she was more than happy to glance down the church pew at Christmas Eve mass to see Maura nestled between her two parents, Richard's arm draped across the back of the pew and one of Maura's hands clasped between both of Constance's.

"You did good, Janie," Angela whispered as she kissed the side of her daughter's head when she noticed Jane looking at the trio.

"Thanks, Ma," Jane smiled, reaching over to give her mother's hand a squeeze. "You did good keeping the secret, too."

"Oh, hush," Angela chastised, swatting her daughter's shoulder lightly.

With both Rizzoli women smiling, they turned their attention back to the front of the church where the priest was finishing up the service just in time for the large bell in the church tower to begin it's midnight chimes and officially bring mark the beginning of Christmas.

After the final chime, the congregation burst into merry wishes for the holidays as every began to chat and mill about freely.

"Daddy!" TJ said, tugging on the sleeve of Tommy's dress shirt. "Daddy, we gotta get home!"

"Are you okay, little man?" Tommy asked, kneeling down to look at his son.

"I'm fine, daddy," TJ sighed before taking his father's face in between his small hands. "But Santa has a very busy night and we have to make sure we're in bed when he comes to our house!"

Laughing, Tommy scooped up his son and made his way to the foyer where their family was all standing together.

"I've just been reminded that Santa Claus has a very tight schedule and we have to get home so we don't mess him up," Tommy explained.

"Oh, boy," Frankie grinned as he looked at TJ. "You think I should turn on the lights and sirens on my car to get us back to your place faster?"

TJ's response was an enthusiastic head nod.

"Then let's get a move on!" Frankie said with a grin. "I'll see you guys in the morning. Thanks for coming to Midnight Mass with us, Mr. and Mrs. Isles."

"It was our pleasure," Constance smiled. "Drive safely on your way home. We expect everyone to arrive to the house safely and legally in the morning."

"I'll be safe," Frankie promised, giving his mother a quick kiss on the cheek and his sister a soft punch to the arm before leaving the church with his nephew and brother.

"Where are you two staying?" Maura asked, looking up at her father. "The Ritz, as usual?"

"Actually," Jane said, catching the attention of her girlfriend and her parents. "I suggested that they stay with us. Well, in our guest bedroom. And they agreed that they liked that idea."

"Given the unexpected weather conditions, that was a wise choice," Maura noted.

"We didn't give any thought to the weather, dear," Constance pointed out. "We only gave thought to the smile we saw on your face at Thanksgiving and how we could do our part to bring it back to your face."

"Oh!" Jane gasped, a smile on her face as she watched Maura attempt to hide her smile and accompanying blush by tucking her chin into the large scarf wrapped around her neck. "Oh, she's trying to hide it but I'm calling this mission accomplished!"

* * *

"I got a the most biggest coloring book I've ever seen, plus Santa remembered to bring me lots and lots of markers to color with, and I got a stuffed Donatello that's, like, _this_ big, and a new coat cuz' Santa knows I'm gettin' bigger and, and, what else did Santa bring me?" TJ rambled on excitedly as he sat nestled against Angela's side on Christmas morning.

"I saw you wearing some fancy new shoes when you got in the house," Angela smiled.

"Oh, yeah!" TJ grinned. "Santa got me new shoes! They light up when I walk. I forgot to put them on my list so Santa must know me really well to get them for me! What did he get you, Nana?"

"I was waiting for you and your daddy and uncle to get here before opening my gifts," Angela explained, gratefully accepting the coffee mug Maura passed her before the doctor and the rest of the family settled onto the couches in the living room. "Is everyone ready?"

"Can I be the runner?" TJ asked, sitting up excitedly and looking at his grandmother.

"Of course," Angela replied, laughing as TJ slid from the couch and scurried towards the Christmas tree. He stood there, hands on his hips, for a few moments before deciding on a gift and plucking it from the pile.

"This says 'To: Ri...Rich...Richard! From Jane,'" he read, before proudly walking up to Maura's father and handing him the gift.

"Thank you, sir," Richard smiled as he accepted the gift and, with a glance in Jane's direction, began to peel the paper from the gift. When he opened the box, he couldn't help but laugh at the hand knit hat he pulled out. "Is this your way of ganging up on me and joining the other ladies in teasing me about forgetting to wear a hat?"

"Possibly," Jane grinned. "I left the card in there, but the local veteran's home has residents make the hats and I thought you'd like to support that."

"Thank you, Jane," Richard smiled before tugging the hat on his head with a grin. "Now, TJ, who's up next?"

"'To Jane, from Richard,'" TJ read before handing his aunt a package, giggling when she pulled the bow from around the box and draped it over his neck. Jane's laughter joined TJ's when she pulled a colorful woolen hat from the box.

"Made from alpaca wool from our last trip to Peru," Richard explained. "I'm not the only one who forgets to wear a hat, detective," he smirked as the detective pulled the hat on over her unruly curls and turned to her girlfriend with a grin.

"You two," was all Maura could give as a reply.

And thus the system continued, with TJ scurrying about the living room and delivering presents to his family.

A three day weekend spa getaway to Angela from 'the kids.'

A suite at Fenway Park for opening day to Frankie and Tommy, signed from Santa in Maura's elegant script.

A tri-fold, antique photo frame for Constance with photos of she, her husband, and Maura with their Thanksgiving turkey drawings, one of the posed photos from Jane and Maura's photoshoot, and the group photo from Thanksgiving on display, signed from Jane.

A cream colored throw blanket, embroidered with their names and one stick figure with blonde hair, another with black, to Jane and Maura from Angela.

An out of print book on feminist art, tracked down by Maura and given with a hopeful smile to Constance.

A polished wooden hanging with a phrase branded into it given to Richard, his daughter explaining to the group that the phrase was one he taught to her after his trip to Ghana when she was five, that means "When you go, remember me."

Finally, after quite a bit of bows had been draped around TJs neck and the piles of wrapping paper began to turn into wads of paper sneakily thrown at the siblings, TJ was carrying the last present over to his aunts.

"Your mommy told me this is real special so you gots to be really careful opening it," TJ instructed as he placed an adequately sized square on Maura's lap.

"Thank you, TJ," Maura smiled as she looked over to her mother.

"It's not that fragile, but in the hands of a toddler, I wanted to be safe," she explained.

"That was wise of you," Jane laughed, turning back to face her girlfriend. "You do the honors," she instructed, bumping Maura's arm with her own.

Happily, Maura pulled all of the shiny gold wrapping paper away from the gift and couldn't contain her gasp when she saw the artwork in the intricate cherry wood frame, her mothers familiar signature in the bottom right corner.

Two hands were drawn in charcoal, their fingers laced at the bottom of the drawing with their forearms going up to the upper parts of the paper. Intertwined in their laced together fingers was a red line that, after lacing around the fingers, made its way up each individual forearm, linking the owners of the two clasped hands.

"The red string of fate," Maura smiled as she looked up to her mother for confirmation.

"Indeed," Constance smiled. "The idea of two souls bound to meet and change each others lives seemed to fit the two of you perfectly. It's been awhile since doing any substantial charcoal work but I do hope you like it."

"I love it," Maura said. "Thank you, mother. It's beautiful."

"These are our hands," Jane noted as she leaned down to get a closer look at the drawing.

"Well, many Asian cultures believe that the red string of fate that connects every set of those people destined to meet, but-"

"No, like, these are _our_ hands," Jane interrupted, pointing to the back of the hand on display in the drawing and drawing Maura's attention to the all too familiar scar that had been added to the work of art. Eyes scanning the other hand, she saw her favorite watch clasped on the wrist of the other hand.

"Mother," Maura said, the word coming out on an exhale as she looked up to her mother, who held a nervous expression on her face. Both women's eyes were glassy with emotion, and Jane couldn't help but reach over to take her girlfriend's had to offer silent support. "I don't know what to say."

"I think you should say it's pretty," TJ piped up as he peered at the artwork, unaware of the emotions swirling between his unofficial aunt and her mother.

"It's very pretty," Maura smiled as she gently set the frame onto the coffee table and pulled a tissue from the box she'd thankfully kept there, dabbing at her eyes with the hand not held by Jane. "Sorry," she laughed as she looked at the faces of the others in the room who were watching her and her mother with reverence.

"No need to apologize," Angela said with a wave of her hand. "Christmas is a time for family sometimes family means shedding a tear or two."

"I love you, mother," was all Maura could say.

"And I love you, my darling," Constance smiled, chuckling as Richard handed her his handkerchief from his breast pocket.

"Lookie!" TJ once again piped up, bringing the attention back to him and the red ribbon he'd taken from the ones draped around his neck to haphazardly wrap around Jane and Maura's clasped hands. "It's just like the drawing Auntie Mo-wa's mommy made!"

* * *

The wrapping paper and bows had been taken to the trashcan, the leftovers divided amongst the Rizzoli siblings, and the once busy Beacon Hill home was now peaceful, save for the two women sitting by the Christmas tree.

"You ready for your gifts?" Jane asked, the six presents for the two women sitting between them, their knees touching as they sat cross legged directly across from each other.

"Are you ready for your gifts?" Maura countered.

"Uh, I've been ready for them for weeks," Jane grinned. "You open one first," she commanded.

Looking down intently at the three gifts Jane had wrapped for her, Maura studied the options before pulling the smallest one into her lap and, with a nod from Jane, tore the wrapping paper off the gift and opened the small box.

"52 Reasons Why I Love You," Maura read as she pulled out the deck of cards, each hole punched in the upper left corner and attached to a keyring.

"I'm totally aware of how super cheesy it is so you don't have to remind me," Jane explained as she watched Maura run her fingers over the small photo of the two of them Jane had glued to the top of the deck. Flipping to the first card, Maura began to read what Jane had written.

"I love the way you tell me you love me, especially-"

"Hey, shhh. Ya don't gotta read them out loud," Jane interrupted.

"Noted," Maura smiled as she leaned forward to kiss Jane's lips lightly. "Now you pick a gift!"

With hands as eager as her nephew's, Jane decisively grabbed a present and tore the paper off, flinging it over her shoulder comically before opening the box.

"Maur," Jane breathed as she lifted the soft leather wallet from the box and ran her hands over the intricate swirl patterns at the edges of the wallet.

"Turn it over," Maura said with a nervous smile.

Doing as instructed, Jane smiled widely when she saw the gold letters stamped into the back of the wallet.

_Because I knew you, I have been changed for good._

Looking up to Maura with emotion filled eyes, Jane couldn't get in a reaction before the doctor continued.

"There's more," Maura smiled.

Instinctively, Jane unfolded the wallet and her heart fluttered at the photo of she and Maura nestled in one of the clear protectors, the blonde being dipped as the two women kissed in front of the playground tic-tac-toe game. Flipping through the other photos, Jane found images of her and her brothers laughing at the camera, an image of her mother kissing her cheek happily, a snapshot of TJ laughing wildly as Jane spun him around, and a posed photo of Jane, Frost, Korsak, and Maura at a recent banquet, the three detectives in their uniforms.

"This is incredible," Jane breathed when she finished looking through the photos.

"I toyed with the idea of slipping a special photograph in there for times you can't make it home but thought better of that idea," Maura admitted.

"Oh, yeah. As much as I'd love to see that, I don't want anyone else getting even a glimpse of you," Jane laughed. "Thank you."

"I'm glad you like it," Maura beamed, watching as Jane once again flipped over the wallet to run her fingers over the embossed song lyrics. "My turn?"

"Yeah," Jane nodded, setting the wallet on her leg and watching as Maura pulled a slim gift from her remaining two and, after unwrapping it, opened the box to reveal a antique gold watch, a vintage map of the world the face of the watch. "It might be cheating to give you a gift that I didn't actually buy so sorry if you feel jipped."

"What do you mean a gift you didn't buy?"

"My grandfather gave this to my grandmother on their first Christmas together," Jane explained. "I always loved it as a kid and my grandmother left it to me in her Will when she died," the detective continued, stopping abruptly when she saw the wide smile on Maura's face. "I was gonna tell you to turn the watch over but if you smile any wider, your face is gonna split in half."

Laughing, Maura gently turned the watch over and, angling the gold to read the engraved cursive, read what had been written on the watch decades earlier.

_I love you everywhere and all the time. _

"I think my face just might split in half," Maura said as she smiled widely up at Jane. "I love it. I am so honored you're giving me an heirloom with such sentimental value to it."

"I'm glad you don't feel jipped," Jane chuckled, watching as Maura placed the watch on her wrist and clasped the ends together. "It looks good on you."

"It feels good on me," Maura beamed. "Now open your second one."

Once again deciding quickly, Jane grabbed a present and tore into the wrapping paper, pulling out a homemade booklet the size of a checkbook with Maura's handwriting on the first piece of construction paper.

"Jane's Coupons," the brunette read, laughing as she began to flip through the booklet and read what Maura had made her. "One Documentary Free Weekend. One Full Body Massage. One Lingerie Fashion Show. One Home Cooked Meal of Your Choice. One...oh, that's a little NC-17," Jane laughed. "This is what you were working on that day TJ was sick and you locked yourself in the study, wasn't it?"

"Yes," Maura confirmed. "Not only did I want to surprise you today, but several of the coupons are a little NC-17 and I feared the wandering eyes of your mother or TJ."

"I would never be able to look at Ma again if she saw even one of these sexy coupons," Jane admitted. "But I, for one, am excited to use these. Especially the lingerie fashion show," she added with a wink.

"I'm going to open my gift and change the subject before one of us pounces on the other," Maura said as she reached for her last gift. From the weight and outline she could see through the wrapping paper, Maura knew it was a book and she smiled as she peeled away the paper to reveal the title. "Death's Acre by William M. Bass," she smiled.

"I know you already have a copy of the book but this one is, like, a super first edition or something like that," Jane said. "And I know it's dumb to get you a book that you already have but, well, just open the front cover."

Curiously, Maura opened the book and saw a long message written on one of the first pages of the novel.

_Dr. Maura Isles,_  
_I must admit that when one Detective Rizzoli contacted me and told me that her girlfriend has a tortoise named after me, I wasn't sure how to react. But when she told me your name was Dr. Maura Isles, I couldn't refuse her request to write you._  
_I've been an admirer of your publications for quite some time, Dr. Isles. Your writings on such varying subjects such as the ethics of medical examinations, the intimate beauty of a job so many find horrific, as well as the most complex and intricate details of our jobs are always a compelling and educational read. I've seen a handful of cases you've worked on and am honored that a successful woman such as yourself would see me as a role model._  
_If I had a tortoise, I would name her Isles._  
_We'll be in touch._  
_Bill Bass_

"You contacted William M. Bass, founder of The Body Farm and renowned forensic pathologist, and told him I have a tortoise named after him?" Maura gasped, attempting to stop her lips from curling into a smile.

"And gave him your contact information with strict instructions to wait until after Christmas to reach out to you," Jane grinned. "I think he wants to meet his turtle namesake."

"You are such a dork," Maura laughed, swatting at Jane's leg with the book. "Open your last present before I start lecturing you on the differences between turtles and tortoises."

Doing as instructed, Jane opened her last package to reveal a book.

"It was a last minute purchase," Maura quickly said when she saw Jane's brow furrow slightly. "Edith Hamilton's _Mythology_ is regarded as one of the best texts available on Greek and Roman mythology. And I thought that, given the recent events…" she trailed off, watching as Jane opened the first page to read the small note Maura had written to Jane.

_Jane,  
__It seems only fitting that you become familiar with the myths and legends of the past because one day our names will be the ones in books such as this. And our story has and will continue to put even the most epic of love stories to shame.  
__Merry Christmas, my sweet girl. Here is to our first together and to a lifetime more.  
__Maura_

Placing the book, her wallet, and coupons on the floor next to her, Jane opened her arms and beckoned Maura into them.

"Get over here."

Smiling, Maura uncrossed her legs and moved to sit straddling the detective, wrapping both her legs and arms around her.

"Thank you," Jane whispered, her breath tickling Maura's ear. "I love you, Maura."

"And I love you," Maura smiled, pulling her head away to kiss Jane softly.

And there the two women sat, bodies intertwined, as they traded soft declarations of love and even softer kisses until the last embers of the fireplace died and the pull of sleep beckoned them to bed.

* * *

**I am horrible with Christmas gifts so hopefully this was okay. Also, TJ is now one of my favorite characters to write.**

**I have a scene drafted that will take place between Jane and one of Maura's parents. Do ya'll wanna see a scene where Jane has a lil' heart to heart with one of them and, if so, do you vote Richard or Constance?**


	30. Chapter 30

**I got mixed reviews on who Jane is going to have the heart to heart with so I've decided to go with my gut on this one. Less fluff, more Maura and her parents, and I really hope ya'll like it.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The alarm clock in their room told Jane it was just after 4am when she woke to a full bladder and a dry mouth. The doctor had fallen asleep nearly sprawled on top of Jane, their legs tangled together as Maura's head rested over the detective's heart.

"Stop wiggling," Maura murmured as she felt Jane begin to stir beneath her before finding herself on the mattress instead of her girlfriend.

"I gotta pee," Jane whispered. "Your human mattress will be back shortly," she promised before gently sliding from the bed and making her way to the en suite bathroom. After relieving her bladder and washing her hands, Jane groaned at the lack of any glasses at the tap. She rubbed her eyes, trying to focus them, as she tip-toed out of the master bedroom and down into the kitchen for a glass of water.

When she flicked the light on in the living room to light her way to the kitchen, Jane let out a panicked sound at the sight of a figure sitting in her living room.

"Oh," Constance said as she looked over her shoulder to see Jane standing there, a hand over her racing heart. "I didn't mean to frighten you," she apologized, turning away from Jane to attempt to discreetly wipe her eyes.

"Everyone's hearts needs a jumpstart now and then," Jane said, her voice hoarse from sleep. "Are you okay? Did something happen?"

"I…" Constance began, trailing off with a shaky breath when she felt the couch dip and felt Jane's presence next to her. "No, I'm not okay," she admitted.

"What's wrong?" Jane asked, trying to read the woman's face. "If you don't wanna talk to me, I can go get Richard or Maura."

"Oh, that's not necessary," Constance said with a sad smile. "Let them sleep."

"Is that code for you want me to go back to sleep, too?"

Constance remained silent for several moments, looking down at the hands in her lap. For a moment, though the blood relation wasn't there, Jane could see the same nerves in Constance that she saw in Maura when her girlfriend was uncertain if sharing her feelings was the right choice.

"I woke up momentarily and, as I adjusted the pillows in the guestroom, I was hit with the realization that I don't know my daughter's favorite color," Constance admitted. "I wasn't sure if the navy blue sheets in the guest room were there because they're my daughter's favorite color or if because she know's they're my favorite color."

"Oh, Constance," Jane soothed as she saw the sadness in the older woman's face.

"It's such a silly thing to be crying over, but I couldn't stop myself," she continued. "Here is this wonderful, brilliant, compassionate woman whose professional accomplishments I can list with ease but whose likes, hopes, dreams, and fears I know nothing about."

"Well, if it helps at all, I probably couldn't list as many of her professional or academic accomplishments as you could," Jane said.

"But you know _her_," Constance said, turning to face Jane. "You know Maura so much better than I have ever known her and I'm torn between loving you, hating you, or simply being jealous of you because of that fact."

"There's still time for you to know her, Constance," Jane insisted, turning slightly to look more directly at Maura's mother. "You and Richard both still have time to learn all the wonderful and quirky and incredible things about your daughter."

"But I can't help but think of the time we've lost!" Constance said, her voice cracking on the last word. "Nearly four decades of time have been lost because I was too selfish to put my career on a brief pause and too terrified to hold her and love her like I so wish I had the courage to do."

"I think about this, too," Jane admitted. "Not that you lost time with your daughter, but that I did. I've known her for four years but am only now finding the courage to hold and love her like I've wanted to do for a long time. I think of all the years she and I spent alone when we could have been together."

"How do you handle that knowledge? That you've lost time with her that can never be gotten back?"

"To be honest, I don't know," Jane said as she reached forward and, with a brief nod from the older woman, took Constance's hands in her own. "There are days that I realize how much time we lost and that kills me. It kills me that I kept my feelings for your daughter so hidden and we lost out on so much. But then I call her, or I text her, or I pull her into a hug and remember that now I _do_ have her. That now we have that time to love each other and share our lives with each other."

"What if I do those things-call her, text her, give her a hug-and she-"

"One thing I'm sure you know about Maura is that she hates sentences that start with 'what if?'" Jane smiled, giving Constance's hands a squeeze. "And since I'm pretty sure I know what you were going to ask, there is no way that Maura would react negatively to you doing those things. She would probably have a smile plastered to her face for a week straight."

"I want to know my daughter, Jane," Constance said, her emotions creating a lump in her throat that made her voice shake. "I hate that it has taken me this long to speak those words out loud but I truly want to know my daughter."

"Mom."

Hearing a teary voice from behind her, Constance turned her torso to see her daughter standing in the living room entryway, hair mussed from sleep and clad in Jane's Red Sox hoodie and silk pants. Jane, too, looked up to see her girlfriend.

"Maura," Constance breathed, letting go of Jane's hands to stand up and take a step towards her daughter. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you or-"

"Did you mean what you said?" Maura interrupted, looking into her mother's eyes.

"Wholeheartedly," Constance confirmed.

Crossing the brief distance between she and her mother, Maura wrapped her arms around her mother and hugged her tightly.

"Oh, Maura," Constance whispered, wrapping her arms around her daughter. "My sweet daughter."

With her mother's gentle voice in her ear and arms around her, Maura found herself, for the first time since infancy, crying in her mother's embrace.

And for the first time in just as long, Constance found herself soothing her daughter as only a mother can.

* * *

"Good morning, Jane!"

"Good morning," Jane smiled, looking up just in time to see Richard exiting the guest bedroom in his flannel pajama set. "You sleep well?"

"Very well," Richard replied. "Though I wouldn't say no to a bit of coffee," he added.

"Well, lucky for you I think I've finally figured out how to work Maura's coffee press so we can get our morning caffeine," Jane said as she began to walk with Richard down the hallway.

"Constance wasn't in bed when I woke up. Is she not downstairs with Maura, ready to mock us for sleeping in so late?" Richard asked.

"Uh, I'm not sure where the two of them are," Jane admitted.

"Pardon?"

"I came to the kitchen around 4am to get a glass of water and, well, Constance and I had a little heart to heart. Maura came down, probably because I hadn't come back to bed, and heard some of it," Jane explained as they entered the living room. Both she and Richard stopped walking when they saw Constance sitting on the couch, clearly asleep, with a mess of blonde curls sleeping on the pillow placed on her lap.

"I wish I could make a comment about how seeing this reminds me of all the times I would see my wife and daughter sharing such warm, intimate moments as she grew up," Richard said softly, not daring to wake the women. "But this is a sight I'm quite unfamiliar with."

"Lets go make our coffee in the guest house," Jane suggested. "Give them a bit more time to sleep since I'm not sure when they fell asleep."

Nodding, Richard followed Jane quietly into the guest house, waiting as she went to her mother's room and let her know they were there and using the coffee press Maura had left for her use.

"Do you feel comfortable telling me what you and Constance spoke about last night?" Richard asked once Jane had returned and began to prepare their coffee.

"I think last night it just kinda hit her how much she's missed out on with Maura," Jane replied. "And I guess when you realize how little you know about your daughter and how badly you want to know more about her, you end up having a heart to heart with your daughter's girlfriend at 4am," she added, pulling two large mugs from her mother's cupboard and filling them with coffee.

"What brought this all on, though?"

Jane let out a soft laugh as she picked up the mugs and walked to join Richard on the guest room couch, pulling her legs up to sit cross legged.

"Everything seems to go back to Maura's favorite color," Jane laughed.

"Maura's favorite color?"

"Yeah," Jane smiled before taking a sip of coffee. "I knew Maura's favorite color and she knew mine, which is what gave my Lieutenant the idea that she and I could go on the newlyweds game show and kick ass. When Ian decided to try and weasel into her life, she basically shot him down and pointed out that he didn't even know something as basic as her favorite color. And last night, Constance realized she didn't know her daughter's favorite color."

"It's always the smallest, most simple things that seem to tug at our hearts the most," Richard noted sadly.

"Tell me about it," Jane sighed, sipping her coffee thoughtfully. "Have I ever thanked you?"

"For the Christmas gift? Yes, you did so almost immediately," Richard replied.

"No, not for that," Jane said. "Have I ever thanked you for being so, I dunno...Open, I guess is the right word, to reaching out to Maura and working on fixing what I think was something you'd all consider kinda broken."

"It's my wife and I who should be thanking you," Richard insisted. "You've been the one to push us a forward."

"Yeah, I sent you guys that e-mail about wanting to see childhood photos of Maura, but after that it was all you two," Jane reasoned. "Constance asked if you could join us on Thanksgiving, you asked if you thought surprising Maura was even possible for Christmas, both of you have Skyped her and called her more in the past month than I'd seen in the entire time I've known Maura."

"WIthout your push forward, though, none of that would have happened."

"I still think it might have," Jane admitted, looking down to stare into her coffee mug for a few moments.

"You have the face of a woman who is deep in her thoughts," Richard said gently.

"I love your daughter more than I will ever be able to put into words," Jane stated, bringing her head up to look at the man before her. "But, and I absolutely hate admitting this, I could never make her smile as much as she's been smiling since your relationship began to grow. I can make her smile, of course, but because of you and your wife's efforts to really be a part of Maura's life…" Jane trailed off, her lips curving upwards in a smile. "I've been able to see the most gigantic, beautiful smile on my girlfriend's face and I feel like the luckiest person alive. So thank you."

* * *

When Maura awoke, she had to fight with her eyes to keep themselves shut, hoping to feel Constance's hand running through her hair for just a few more minutes.

"Your breathing pattern indicates you've woken up," Constance said softly, her hands stopping halfway down a pass through Maura's curls.

"No," Maura said, momentarily unable to censor her words.

"No?"

"Well, yes, I am awake," Maura explained. "But your hand…" she trailed off, hating herself for the fear that still instinctively arose when asking for something.

"I thought you wouldn't like me to continue," Constance admitted.

"I would like it."

"Me, too," Constance smiled as her hands once again began to gently run through her daughter's hair. "For about a year, when you were maybe 6 or 7, your curls were absolutely wild."

"Really?" Maura asked.

"Mmhmm," Constance confirmed. "Though perhaps a bit less troublesome that Jane's curls must have been at that age, I remember how you refused to put your hair up in any way and would run around the gardens with your hair as wild as can be."

"Really?" Maura said, a soft smile tugging at her lips.

"Oh, yes," Constance chuckled. "On one particularly windy spring day, you ran through an area filled with early dandelions with your arms stretched out and, when you came back into the house, your hair was filled with those little white fuzzies."

"I don't remember that at all," Maura said, laughing at the image of her younger self running through the gardens of her childhood home. "Do you have other memories of me as a child?"

The hand running gently through her hair stilled its movements.

"Mother?" Maura asked, noticing the change in her mother's movements.

"I have many memories of you as a child," Constance said softly. "Though it may not seem like I would, or even that I have a right to hold those memories so tightly, I do have very many memories of you."

"Oh, mother," Maura said, rolling onto her back to look up at her mother, refusing to leave the comfort she found in being so close to the older woman. "I didn't mean it in that way. I didn't mean to imply that you only had that one memory of my childhood."

"It was a valid question, all things considered," Constance replied with a sad smile, looking down at her daughter. "As we spoke about last night, I was so crippled by fear when you entered our lives. Fear that I would make a horrible mother, yes, but also the crippling fear that came with how much I loved you in such a short period of time. So I pulled away. I let you believe your own mother didn't love you when, in reality, I loved you more than I ever thought possible. And I still do."

Maura smiled widely up at her mother, a warmth filling her chest at the woman's words.

"My beautiful daughter," Constance whispered as she looked down at the doctor's smiling face. "I am in absolute awe of the woman you have become."

"I've always wanted to make you proud," Maura admitted.

"And you always have," Constance smiled. "You have made your father and I so proud and so, so happy."

"Even when coming into the house covered in dandelion fuzz?" Maura asked, a grin on her face.

"Yes, even then," Constance laughed. "When your daughter comes into your house one day, with the unruly curls of both of her mothers covered in those little fuzzies, don't say I didn't warn you."

* * *

**Like it? Hate it? Kinda meh? I'd really love feedback on this chapter-the multi-chap I'm hoping to start working on will feature a few scenes like this that are less fluff, more heavy emotions. And I want all the feedback possible.**


	31. Chapter 31

**The doctor's still don't know what's wrong with me, after 22 vials of blood drawn over the past 4 weeks, an MRI, several appointments, and months of double vision, extreme fatigue, horrible muscle weakness, confusion and forgetfulness, and more. I have a lumbar puncture coming up, plus a sleep study, and hopefully we'll get closer to knowing what's wrong.**

**I do apologize for my absence.**

* * *

When Jane and Richard made their way back into the main house, their mugs refilled with fresh coffee, the sound of lighthearted laughter greeted them.

"And the time you rode your entire dressage routine naked!" Constance laughed, placing a comb down on the couch beside her and beginning to braid Maura's hair as the doctor sat on the floor in front of her.

"Oh, goodness."

"Your father and I, of course, had to speak with the headmaster and pacify him and the other school board members, but the minute your father and I were out of the headmaster's office, do you know what I said?"

"What did you say?" Maura asked, smiling as her mother's hands continued to work through her hair.

"I looked right at your father and said 'I have never been more proud of our daughter,'" Constance admitted.

"Really?"

"Yes," Constance confirmed. "My daughter taking such a public stance on the budget cuts your school had performed on the arts and the sports they did not deem worthy? The fire in your eyes alone was enough to make me proud," she continued, tying off the end of the braid and placing a kiss to the crown of Maura's head.

"And the fire in the eyes of every male member of that audience was enough to make me want to blindfold them all until your graduation," Richard stated, making his presence known. "Didn't mean to intrude on your bonding time but I just had to put my two cents in," he added when both Isles women turned their heads to look towards him.

"You are more than welcome to join our bonding time," Maura smiled.

"But only if you bring coffee," Constance added.

"They're going to be the death of us, Jane," Richard laughed as he set his own mug down at the kitchen island and began to prepare his wife and daughter a cup of coffee.

"Good morning, Jane," Constance greeted when she saw the detective place a few strawberries on Bass' mat and a scoop of food into Jo's bowl.

"Morning," Jane smiled as she looked at the two women, Maura sitting contentedly between her mother's legs as Constance smoothed a few stray pieces of hair down. "Do you guys mind if I crash the little bonding session or…?"

"Come," Maura said, patting the spot next to her.

Smiling, Jane made her way into the living room and eased herself to the floor, leaning against the couch and settling next to Maura.

"Hey!" she said when Maura plucked her mug from her hands and took a sip.

"I just have to taste it to make sure you aren't still putting in half a dozen tablespoons of sugar," Maura grinned, making no move to hand the coffee back to Jane. "Good morning, by the way," she added.

"It _was_ a good morning until someone stole my coffee," Jane grumbled, face brightening comically when Maura handed the mug back over. "Yep, it's now back to being a good morning," she noted, pressing a quick kiss to Maura's smiling lips before the blonde rested her head on Jane's shoulder.

"I told Maura earlier that, should you two have a daughter, her hair will be absolutely wild," Constance noted when she saw the two women's hair side by side.

"I don't doubt that," Jane laughed, reaching a hand out to clasp Maura's. "But thankfully both of her grandmothers and at least one of her mothers would be able to help make it presentable."

"And how do you know her grandfather wouldn't be able to help make her hair presentable?" Richard teased, sitting on the couch next to his wife on the opposite side of where Jane sat.

"Richard, you would absolutely mangle your granddaughter's hair," Constance pointed out, accepting the mug of coffee her husband passed her, the other one being handed to Maura.

"I don't have a comeback for that," Richard laughed. "Give me some time, though, and maybe I'll think of one."

"I'm sure you will," Maura smiled. "Maybe in between trying to think of various comeback, you could check the weather? I haven't had the chance to look recently and want to ensure the two of you will have safe travels home."

"That's actually one of the reasons Jane and I came back into the main house," Richard admitted. "I got a call from the head nurse at your Aunt Emilia's nursing home and she's fallen ill with pneumonia. They don't think the outcome will be very positive."

"Father," Maura said, turning her body to look up at her father. "You should be packing your bags and calling the pilot to prepare the jet."

"Our plan was to stay until after the new year," Richard said, sadness clear on his face.

"No," Maura breathed. "You have to get back to Paris and be with Aunt Emilia. This has been a wonderful Christmas surprise and I cannot wait until we're all together again but she's your sister."

"And you're my daughter," Richard tried to insist.

Letting go of Jane's hand, Maura turned around to kneel on the floor facing her parents.

"Mother, father. I am perfectly healthy. Barring any unforeseen accidents or health issues, I can almost guarantee you that I will be alive and we will spend as much time together as possible for the rest of your lives. I'm not going anywhere, but your sister might. Go back to her. Give her my love."

"But what about-" Constance tried to reason, before her daughter cut her off.

"We have time, mother," Maura smiled. "We have time for you to be with Aunt Emilia and we have time for the three of us to be together. This won't be lost time, I promise you that."

"We're done losing time," Constance smiled.

"I agree," Maura replied. "Jane and I will come to Paris to visit you both soon. Maybe for Valentine's Day."

"Really?" Jane piped up.

"If we have the time off, I don't see why we couldn't," Maura said, turning to look at an excited Jane.

"Score!"

"Come on," Maura smiled, rising to her feet and offering a hand to each of her parents. "I'll drive you to the airport."

* * *

"Were you serious about going to Paris for Valentine's Day?"

"Pardon?" Maura asked, sticking her head into the ensuite bathroom where Jane was brushing her teeth before bed that night.

Glaring at Maura, Jane made a show of spitting her toothpaste before turning the tap on to rinse the toothbrush off.

"I asked if you were serious when you said we'd maybe visit your parents in Paris for Valentine's Day," Jane repeated.

"I heard you the first time. I just enjoy teasing you," Maura smiled.. "And yes, I was serious. As long as we have the ability to take the time off, of course. Goodness knows our schedules can change without any warning."

"I think that'd be fun," Jane smiled as she shut off the bathroom light and, taking Maura's hands in her own, began to walk with the doctor towards their bed. "Kinda sorta super cheesy, but fun."

"Don't try to hide how kinda sorta super cheesy you really are," Maura grinned.

"Only with you, though," Jane noted, bringing their clasped hands up to her neck and leaving Maura's hands there before placing her own hands on Maura's hips, their bodies flush against each other.

"Are we dancing?" Maura asked when she felt Jane begin to sway them gently.

"Mmmaybe."

"Okay," Maura smiled, relaxing her head down onto Jane's shoulder and beginning to hum a soft tune.

"We should go dancing on New Year's," Jane thought out loud.

"I would like that very much," Maura noted, laughing as Jane maneuvered her hands to spin Maura gently, ending with bringing the doctor into a dip.

"Only if you don't make me wear a dress," Jane grinned as she held her girlfriend in the dip.

"I've always wanted to see you a custom tailored tuxedo," Maura admitted with a blush.

"And lemme guess," Jane said as she pulled Maura up and into her arms once again. "You know someone who can get this perfectly custom tailored tux done before New Year's Eve?"

"Of course."

"And lemme take another guess and say you've been itching to contact this person for weeks?"

"More like months, but close enough," Maura grinned. "Even before we began dating, the idea of you in traditionally masculine clothes while still maintaining your distinct femininity was positively arousing."

"Arousing, huh?" Jane asked, beginning to guide the duo towards the bed.

"Extremely so," Maura noted just before the back of her knees hit the bed and she fell onto the plush bedding, Jane quickly climbing atop of her.

"And since you're imagining me in this tuxedo now, is it safe to say you're extremely aroused at the current moment?"

"Yes."

Just as Maura finished the word, Jane's lips were on Maura's and her hands were slipping under the Red Sox hoodie Maura wore to eagerly grip at pale sides.

"Oh, God," Maura moaned as she felt Jane begin to gently nip down her neck and rake her teeth over the spot Jane knew drove her wild.

"How is it I can't ever get enough of you?" Jane murmured, taking her mouth away from Maura's neck only long enough to tug the hoodie off of the honey blonde and expose her bare torso.

"I ask myself the same thing-oh!," Maura gasped as she felt a hand come up to cup one of her breasts. "I ask myself the same thing every day," she managed to say as her own hands came to life and eagerly began to push down on the top of Jane's sweatpants. "Off," she commanded.

"But I wanted to go down on _you_," Jane pouted as she continued to place wet, open mouthed kisses on any part of Maura's body she could reach.

"We can both go down on each other," Maura noted, a glint in her eyes.

Taking only a moment to register what Maura said, Jane quickly tugged silk pajama pants off of pale curves and kicked her own pajama pants off before rotating her body and, without warning, began lapping eagerly at Maura's wetness.

"Fuck!" Maura nearly shouted, her head slamming back into the pillow as she felt Jane's tongue plunging in and out of her. At the feeling of what she knew to be smug laughter reverberating on her most sensitive area, Maura wasted no more time and wrapped her own lips around Jane's clit and, with her tongue swirling around the nub, began to suck firmly.

For the next several minutes, the only sounds in the room were the sounds of eagerly mouths lapping at ever increasing wetness, mixed with pleasured sighs and gasps from both women.

"Maura," Jane gasped, finally pulling away from her girlfriend's core.

Maura simply hummed her response.

"I need you inside of me, baby," the brunette pleaded, unashamed of her request for more.

With the wetness easing her passage, Maura slid two fingers easily into her girlfriend and began to drag them along Jane's upper wall on the way out before thrusting back in.

With the added stimulation, Jane knew it wouldn't be long before she was coming. And, if the subtle rocking of Maura's hips against her face was any indication, the blonde was just as close as she was.

Just as Jane felt the first ripples of orgasm swelling within her, she took one last swipe through Maura's slit and raked her teeth gently over Maura's clit.

Arching her back sharply, Maura's thighs clenched around Jane's ears and trembled as the sensation of teeth on her clit provided the touch of pain and pleasure needed to push her into pleasurable oblivion. The resounding moan she let out vibrated against Jane's clit and the brunette joined the blonde in orgasmic freefall until she was unable to do anything but slump off to Maura's side and rest her head on a soft thigh.

"I'm never gonna get enough of you," Jane breathed.

"Never?" Maura sighed, reaching a hand out to find Jane's hand with her own, unwilling to lose all physical contact as they caught their breaths.

"Never."

* * *

**I have tonight off and it will be my mission to feel strong enough to get another, less filler chapter written.**

**Once again, I do apologize for my long hiatus and your continued well wishes would be lovely.**


	32. Chapter 32

**As usual, I do apologize for the lack of updates.**

* * *

"Dr. Isles?"

"Barry," the blonde smiled as she looked up from her clipboard to see the detective standing in the middle of her lab. "How are-"

"You aren't dressed," Frost interrupted.

"Pardon?" Maura asked, looking down at her black scrubs and white labcoat.

"No, I mean, you're dressed as in wearing clothes. But not the right clothes."

"I'm not sure I follow what you're saying," Maura admitted as she set her clipboard down. "How are scrubs and a lab coat not the right clothing?"

"You haven't been in your office lately, have you?"

"Not since I ate the salad Angela brought me from the cafe for dinner," Maura admitted. "The governor's top aide was in a car crash and I've been ordered to personally complete all testing and examinations."

"Yeah, Jane told me but, uh, you should go take a minute and go to your office," Frost said with a smile.

With a tilt of her head, Maura set the clipboard down on the nearest counter top and walked through the lab, across the morgue, and into her office. Just as she crossed the threshold into her office, she stopped abruptly and smiled at the cobalt blue dress hanging from the folding screen she'd kept in her office, the heels she'd chosen sitting below the dress and her chosen jewelry catching the light on her desk.

"I have strict orders to not show my face to Jane unless you're with me so if you could change into that outfit and meet me back in the lab, that'd be super great," Frost said from behind Maura.

"But, it's past 10 o'clock on New Year's Eve," Maura noted as she turned to look at Barry. "Jane and I's dinner reservations have long passed and the venue only held our tickets to the gala until 8pm."

"Just have a little faith in your girlfriend," Barry noted with a grin.

"And save her from kicking your butt?" Maura teased.

"Yeah, that, too," Frost laughed. "So, meet me in the lab in half an hour?"

"Sounds like a plan," Maura said, watching as Barry turned on his heel and allowed her to close her office door and begin to change.

The cobalt blue dress hit just above her knees, and the entire dress was overlaid with a matching blue lace with strands of subtle glitter woven into the lace. The three quarter length sleeves paired with the antique watch Jane had given her, plus small diamond stud earrings and black pumps. Her hair had been pulled in a ponytail and, with a bit of teasing, she was able to wrap it in a loose, low bun with a slight bit of volume teased at the top of her head. She quickly reapplied her eye makeup and a fresh layer of bright red lipstick and finished with perfume.

Closing her office door behind her, Maura made her way back to the lab and smiled at the sight of Frost standing with a wide smile and in a mock formal pose.

"Good evening, madam" he said, attempting to school his smile into a straight face as he bowed theatrically.

"Good evening, sir," Maura laughed. "Are you my makeshift chariot for the night?"

"I am," Frost confirmed as he offered his arm to Maura, beginning to walk towards the stairwell once she took her offered limb.

Certain that Jane had forced Frost to keep their ultimate destination a secret, Maura simply allowed she and Frost to walk in comfortable silence through Headquarters and, much to her surprise, into the elevator to the top floor and towards the final flight of stairs before the building's rooftop.

"Before you ask, it's relatively warm out for a Boston winter night but Jane does have your coat if you need it," Frost smiled as he pulled the door open and gestured for the blonde to step out onto the roof.

Once she stepped onto the roof, Maura gasped, though not from the air temperature.

Not only was the Boston city skyline illuminated, but from every available lightpost, cable tower, or solid surface there were strings of multi colored paper crepe lanterns. A long buffet style table sat off to one side, with her coworkers and friends milling about as Angela offered snacks to all those within reaching distance.

And, several yards away from the commotion of the buffet table, stood a beaming Jane. She wore, as promised, a fitted Armani tuxedo that she and Maura had gone for a fitting for the day after Christmas. The black skinny style trousers and matching fitted tuxedo jacket were finished off with a crisp white shirt and a skinny black tie Jane had chosen herself.

"We couldn't go out to celebrate New Year's Eve, so I brought the celebration to us," Jane explained as she walked towards her girlfriend.

"Yes, you did," Maura laughed, stepping into Jane's open arms and embracing the detective fiercely.

"I'm sorry you got stuck doing all this work for the governor when even your incapable of guessing brain can tell his aide was killed because he was driving drunk and not because of any sort of political sabotage baloney," Jane sighed as she kissed the crown of Maura's head.

"No talking about work," Maura hummed, lifting her head from the crook of Jane's neck to place a tender kiss on Jane's lips. "This is incredible, Jane. Thank you."

"Thank _you_," Jane countered. "For wearing this absolutely gorgeous dress," she continued, taking a step back to admire the blonde's appearance.

"Don't even get me started on your outfit because I do not want to start something inappropriate while in the presence of our family and coworkers."

"Good call," Jane laughed. "Come on. Ma went absolutely nuts with the food, Korsak called in some favors for some awesome booze selections, Frost and Frankie hooked up a sound system with your iTunes, and Tommy and TJ put decorations all over the place."

Clasping Maura's hand in her own, Jane eagerly tugged Maura towards the large buffet table where she was immediately given a tight hug from Angela, a plea to be picked up from TJ, and a glass of Krug Rose champagne from Jane who winked as both women remembered the La Perla fitting room Maura had last sipped the pink bubbly liquid.

"It's not a fancy gala but I think it's fitting," Jane stated as she watched Maura's eyes continue to roam around the rooftop, noticing the colorful New Year's posters and decorations plastered on every available surface of the rooftop.

"I have no idea how you managed all of this but I think this is more than fitting than any gala we could have ever been at," Maura insisted.

"Having a ridiculously eager mother and brothers and co-workers willing to help out during our down time for a six pack of Blue Moon does have its perks," Jane grinned. "Although having a nephew TJ's age does mean that our musical selection for the night might include The Chicken Dance and The Hokey Pokey."

"As long as I'm dancing in the New Year with our family, I will gladly Hokey Pokey all night long," Maura said, a blush coloring her cheeks as she realized the absurdity of her statement.

"You're even more perfect when you're blushing," Jane laughed, wrapping an arm around Maura's waist as they began to chat with their family before TJ did insist it was time to dance and the hodge podge of family members, detectives, and more began to giddily dance to the music Tommy and TJ had picked out.

As midnight drew closer, the two women excused themselves and made their way to a bench on the far side of the roof, sitting down and looking out over the Boston skyline.

"So," Jane began as she draped an arm around Maura's shoulders. "New Year's Resolutions. Ya got any?"

"I actually don't think I do," Maura admitted.

"What?" Jane gasped theatrically.

"Oh, hush," Maura laughed. "And besides, you should know me better than to ask about Resolutions. You know that I prefer to set tasks for the year, which are less subjective to say I've completed."

"Okay, so, what are some of your tasks for this year?"

"I'd like to read the over 1,000 page novel Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace, attend the opening game of the Red Sox with you, spend time in Europe with you and my parents, take a darkroom photography course, maybe go on a road trip somewhere I've never been before," Maura mused.

"Can we go to Disney on this road trip?" Jane smiled.

"Who says you're coming with me?"

"Maura!"

"I'm kidding," Maura laughed, reaching out to bring the hand Jane didn't have wrapped around her shoulders to her lab and began idly massaging the scarred palms. "I would love to take a road trip to Disney with you."

"I hit the girlfriend jackpot and no one can convince me otherwise," Jane beamed.

"I might argue I hit the girlfriend jackpot, but we can agree to disagree," Maura said. "What about you. Any resolutions or tasks for the year?"

"I wanna do one of those Tough Mudders or Spartan Races where you run, like, twenty miles and have dozen crazy obstacles to get through before celebrating in a beer tent," Jane stated. "Go on a road trip to Disney with you, maybe look into adopting a friend for Jo to have playtime with, and finally make a batch of cannoli my ma won't mock me for."

"I think our year is going to be quite wonderful," Maura said as she brought Jane's hand to her lips and kissed it gently. "I look forward to it immensely."

"Me, too," Jane hummed contentedly.

"There is one thing on my to-do list for this year that I didn't say, though," Maura thought out loud.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," Maura said as she relaxed her head onto Jane's shoulder. "I want to propose to you first."

"Oh, you better take that off your to-do list cuz I am gonna beat you to the proposal and you know it!" Jane defended, reaching to pinch Maura's side playfully.

As Maura squirmed away from Jane's hand and laughed, TJ came scurrying over with a party hat on and a noisemaker in each hand, his signature grin on display.

"Aunt Jay! Auntie Mo-wa! Come quick! It's almost midnight and we gotta get to the noisemakers before daddy and Uncle Frankie hide them all from us!"

"Race you both to the noisemakers?" Maura asked the toddler conspiratorially, freeing herself from Jane's still teasing hands and rising from the bench.

"Readysetgo!" TJ called in one breath, darting away and leaving the two women to race for second place.

The smiles on Maura and Jane's faces didn't diminish as they raced towards the party supplies and, a few moments later, heard squeals from their nephew as fireworks were shot off from various places in the city to welcome in the new year.

"Happy New Year, my sweet girl," Maura smiled as she turned to look at the detective, fireworks illuminating their face as she pulled their bodies flush together and began to sway to 'What a Wonderful World' coming through the loudspeakers.

"Happy New Year, Maura," Jane whispered oblivious to the toasts of her friends and family in the background as she and Maura danced gently.

"I should get back down to the lab and see if any of the tests have finished," the doctor admitted sadly.

"Did you really just say you were going back to work _before_ giving me my new year's kiss?"

"My apologies," Maura laughed, pressing a tender kiss to Jane's lips. Their lips moved easily in synch against each other's, separating only when a small hand reached up to tap Maura's hip.

"You shouldn't kiss people on New Year's, Auntie Mo-wa!" TJ tried to reprimand as he looked up at the two women.

"Why not, TJ?"

"Cuz!" TJ giggled. "It's only the first date!"

"You little jokester," Jane laughed as she scooped up her nephew and perching him on her hip. "You're just jealous cuz I get to kiss Auntie Maura and you don't."

"Nuh-uh!" TJ insisted, reaching out to begin fiddling with the skinny tie that hung down Jane's front. "When we all gonna watch the turtles together again?"

"Well, Bass will be celebrating his birthday in about two weeks. We could all watch together to celebrate his birthday," Maura offered with a wink to Jane.

"Really?" TJ gasped, looking to Maura with wide eyes.

"Really!" Maura confirmed.

"This is the best new year ever!"

* * *

**I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter and would love to hear your feedback.**


	33. Chapter 33

**Someone said they wish New Year's Eve had featured more Maura and Jane time so, well, here ya go.**

* * *

Jane sat, still clad in her tuxedo, swinging her feet absentmindedly as she watched her girlfriend's face as the doctor walked around the lab.

"I find it very difficult to put my lab back in order when I know you're staring at me, Detective," Maura stated, eyes never leaving her task of wiping down the piece of equipment she'd used that night to perform the tests that held her and Jane back from their scheduled plans.

"Uh, sorry?"

An eyebrow arched in her direction was Jane's only confirmation that Maura had heard her.

"In my defense, it's really difficult to keep my hands to myself when you're still in that dress strutting around this lab like you own the place!"

"Well, I don't technically own anything in this lab because it was purchased by the City of Boston but, because I am a tax-paying citizen, one could argue that I do own this lab," Maura smiled as she continued to tidy the lab.

"Either way, it's hot," Jane admitted.

"What?" Maura laughed.

"You heard me," Jane grinned.

"I'm not sure I did," Maura teased, walking towards Jane to stand in between long legs and drape her arms around the detective's shoulders.

"I said that I find it incredibly hot when you're in your take no prisoners, confident, powerful Chief Medical Examiner for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts mode," Jane repeated, her voice low as she slipped her hands under Maura's lab coat to wrap around full hips. "But that's not all," Jane added before kissing Maura lightly.

"Oh, really?" Maura asked.

"Mmhmm," Jane hummed as she began to rub her thumbs up and down Maura's sides. "In the morning when your hair is all messy and I can see all your freckles, you're the most breathtaking woman on the planet," Jane began before placing a kiss to the skin just below Maura's earlobe. "In the afternoon when you changed into yoga pants and my hoodie, I'm pretty sure you're the most adorable thing ever. When you're in that red lace lingerie, you're irresistible and when you're in any one of your zillion dresses, you're absolutely stunning," Jane continued, pressing kisses down the column of Maura's throat.

Maura's response consisted of tangling her fingers in Jane's curls and pulling the detective into a fierce kiss, attempting to infuse the kiss with as much love as she could.

"You act like no one's ever told you how beautiful you are before," Jane breathed when Maura pulled away and rested their foreheads together.

"No one's ever told me it the way you tell me it," Maura admitted. "Like it's just pure stream of consciousness and you have no ulterior motive. You say it simply because you're thinking it."

"Believe me when I say I'm thinking about how beautiful you are all of time," Jane said softly. "And a whole lot of other things not related to your physical appearance, too. Basically I'm just always thinking about you."

"That sounds quite dangerous," Maura hummed as she shrugged out of her lab coat and laid it on the counter Jane had perched herself on before once again wrapping her arms around the brunette's neck. "Being so preoccupied while trying to protect and serve…"

"Are you teasing me, Dr. Isles?"

"That is entirely possible," Maura replied, running her hands from Jane's shoulders, down her arms, and finally to her hands, guiding them to rest on her ass. "But don't try to deny how much you love my teasing and the building anticipation."

"Please tell me you're done with all the autopsy, lab test mumbo-jumbo and we can turn on the lights and sirens in my cruiser to get us home," Jane all but groaned as she squeezed Maura's ass.

"The death certificate is waiting on my printer and all I need to do is sign it, seal it, and text the governor that both his aide and the man who crashed into his car were highly intoxicated and we are free to ring in the new year the proper way," Maura smiled.

"What are you standing around for then?" Jane asked, giving Maura's backside one final squeeze before taking the blonde's hips and turning her in the direction of her office, earning a laugh from the blonde as she gave her a gentle push forward.

* * *

"Oh, God...Keep going, just like that."

With the blonde doctor bouncing up and down on the strap on attached to Jane's hips, her breasts freely and hands holding her hair up in a messy blob on the back of her head, Jane had absolutely no intention of stopping the powerful upward thrusts of her hips.

"Come for me, Maura," Jane commanded, her hands gripping the blonde's hips and guiding her movements.

Moaning loudly, Maura moved her hair into one hand and quickly brought her right hand down to rub tight circles on her clit. The combination of pressure on her bundle of nerves and Jane's unfaltering thrusts pushed Maura flying into pleasure and, with her mouth open in a silent cry, the doctor's body seized momentarily before she shuddered her way through a seemingly endless climax.

"How is it you get sexier every single time you come?" Jane asked as Maura's body jolted one final time before she fell atop of Jane, both women's body covered in a layer of sweat.

"Because the sex gets better every time," Maura breathed, her panting breaths washing over Jane's breast where it lay.

"Damn right," Jane smiled, gasping when she felt Maura begin to rock her hips and, thus, rub the base of the dildo against her already swollen clit. "Baby, you just-"

"Don't want it to end," Maura murmured, her hips continuing to rock languidly.

"It's been almost two hours," Jane said, her breath catching in her throat as Maura's hips continued their steady pace.

"One more," Maura stated. "Always wanna be this close to you, remember?" she asked, pushing herself up to look down at Jane.

A pleasurable smile on her lips, Jane grabbed Maura's hips and maneuvered their bodies until Jane was sitting propped up against the pillows resting on the headboard of their bed and Maura was now sitting in her lap.

The blonde smiled as she wrapped her legs around Jane's waist and her arms around the detective's shoulders, the dildo never leaving her body and her hips never ceasing their movement.

"We're always gonna be this close," Jane promised as she brought her hands to Maura's ass and began to guide the doctor's thrusts.

"Do you...oh, God," Maura gasped as she felt Jane begin to match her thrusts and her body began to swell towards yet another climax.

"Do I what?" Jane asked, fighting off her own climax from the wonderful friction against her clit.

"Do you promise?" Maura asked, locking her eyes with Jane's in a gaze both lustful and vulnerable.

"I promise."

Crashing her lips against Jane's, Maura's body once again tensed before she moaned loudly and gave a few last powerful thrusts of her hips, triggering Jane's own orgasm in the process. The kiss broke, though neither woman had the energy to pull entirely away from the other, and their breaths mingled as they struggled to catch their breath.

"Happy New Year, my love," Maura smiled, resting her forehead against Jane's and lazily opening her eyes to look into the darkened eyes of her girlfriend.

"Yeah," Jane grinned as brought a hand up from Maura's ass to run her thumb over the dimple that had appeared on Maura's cheek. "It certainly is."

* * *

**I know this is much shorter than my usual chapters and I do apologize for that.**

**If you have suggestions for scenes you would like included in this story, as always, you are more than welcome to review or message me!**


	34. Chapter 34

**I just recently changed up my plans for certain events in this story and, though the changes won't be for a little bit, I do hope you all continue to enjoy this story and enjoy where I take our ladies.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"Maura, you do realize that, because you told TJ when Bass' birthday is, we'll be celebrating it every year for the rest of our lives?"

"Is that a bad thing?" Maura asked as she looked up from the tomatoes she was dicing for the taco dinner she, Jane, Angela, TJ, and Tommy would be having that night. After receiving confirmation that he wasn't dreaming when told the tortoise's birthday was approaching, TJ was quick to insist they celebrate with tacos and Angela's strawberry cake, his favorite dinner and a dessert made with Bass' favorite treat.

"I guess we'll have to determine that after seeing how tonight goes," Jane smiled as she hopped up onto one of the barstools. "But since you're absolutely incredibly with the little monster, I think tonight will go great."

"Is the little monster you're referring to my tortoise or your nephew?"

"I was referring to TJ, but I guess both makes sense," Jane laughed.

"TJ is a delight to have around so why on Earth you would refer to him as a little monster is beyond me," Maura smiled. "And the same goes for Bass!"

"Man, don't you remember his diapers?" Jane asked. "Those alone earned him the title of little monster!"

"I do remember them," Maura said with a soft smile.

Looking at Maura's soft smile, Jane let a few moments of silence pass between them before speaking.

"Do you think we're too old?" Jane asked softly. "To have our own little monster?" she clarified.

"I think our ages would could pose a few difficulties should we chose to have our own little monster, but it certainly is more than possible," Maura stated.

"What do you mean _should_ we choose to have our own little monster?" Jane said. "I thought you definitely wanted a kid."

"I do," Maura confirmed. "But it isn't just about what I want."

"Didn't I tell you on Halloween that I would love to raise a child with you?" Jane smiled.

Maura's smile grew wider as she took in Jane's words.

"We just do everything out of order," Jane laughed. "First I tell you I love you, _then_ I take you on a date, then we kissed. Now we're talking about babies _before _even getting engaged."

"Well, talking about having a child doesn't mean we'll start the process right away," Maura reasoned. "And talking about this early is good, I think. We could even make appointments with our respective OB/GYNs to discuss our health and what possibilities are the best so that way when_ I _propose to _you_, we'll have one less thing to think about."

"You mean when _I_ propose to _you_, but I think that's a great-"

The eager ringing of the doorbell several times in quick succession stopped Jane mid-sentence.

"Bass! Come open the door! I gots a present for you!" TJ's giddy voice called through the front door.

"Talk more later?" Jane asked.

"Of course," Maura smiled.

Just a few moments later, TJ came scurrying into the house with a party hat on his head and a wrapped gift covered in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles wrapping paper.

"Happy Birthday, Bass!" TJ exclaimed as he plopped down cross legged in front of the large tortoise and gave him a few soft strokes on the shell.

"If I gotta wear a party hat, you guys gotta wear one, too," Tommy said as he held out the package of cone shaped party hats he'd purchased for the occasion, his own hat sitting crookedly on the top of his head.

"Were the hats your idea, or TJs?" Jane teased as she pulled a metallic purple hat from the package and handed a silver one to Maura.

"Mine!" TJ piped in. "Bass' head is too little to put a party hat on but I got him a gift so I think he won't be too sad 'bout that."

"And what did you get him?" Maura asked as she walked towards TJ and smoothed her hands over his hair.

"Open it!" TJ giggled, holding the wrapped gift up to Maura. "He doesn't have hands and you're his mommy so s'okay if you open the gift."

Laughing at the toddler who continued to run his hands over Bass' shell gently and murmur birthday wishes to him, Maura felt strong arms wrap around her midsection and a chin rest on her shoulder.

"So what did my goofy little monster get your goofy little monster?" Jane whispered in Maura's ear.

Unwrapping the gift that had clearly been wrapped by TJ's small and eager hands, Maura couldn't help the laugh that escaped her at the carton of strawberries was revealed to her.

"Can I feed him one?" TJ asked, looking up at his aunts from his spot sitting on the floor, Bass' head poking out of his shell curiously.

"I think he would love that," Maura smiled as she handed the carton down to the toddler.

"You da bestest, Auntie Mo-wa!"

* * *

Just over a week later, Maura and Jane entered their house to see a beaming Angela standing in their kitchen.

"Uh, you okay there, Ma?" Jane asked, noting the way Angela was bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"I'm gonna be a nana again!" Angela exclaimed.

"Tommy knocked up Lydia again?" Jane said with a groan.

Angela shook her head.

"He knocked someone else up?" Jane asked.

Another shake of the head from Angela.

"I don't recall Frankie seeing anyone, but did something happen unexpectedly?" Maura asked.

Angela shook her head yet again.

"Then, uh, I'm kinda at a loss cuz-"

"You two!" Angela blurted, scurrying over to the two women and pulling them into an eager hug.

Jane and Maura caught each other's gazes as Angela laughed giddily and shared a confused glance before Maura pulled away.

"Angela, what do you mean you're going to be a nana again because of Jane and I?" she asked. "Neither one of us is pregnant…"

"I was walking Jo since it was my day off today, and the mailman saw me and gave me the mail personally," the elder Rizzoli explained. "Right on top was a packet addressed to Jane from your OB/GYN," she said as she looked at Maura. "Which means Jane is switching to your lady doctor so you're both in the same system to give me grandbabies!"

"Here we go," Jane groaned as she pulled away from her mother. "Ma, first, didn't we discuss boundaries? Come on."

"It was on the top of the mail pile! I didn't snoop or flip through any of the mail because it was right there on top for anyone-including the mailman to see!" Angela countered. "Are you going to lecture him on boundaries?"

Jane ran a hand over her face and walked to the kitchen, pulling a beer and a bottle of wine from the fridge.

"Angela," Maura smiled as she guided Angela to the couch in her living room. "You are correct that Jane is switching to the same OB/GYN office that I am a patient of. And yes, you are also correct in your belief that it is because it will make fertility planning easier in time. But _in time_ is the key phrase."

"So, like, 9 months in time?" Angela grinned.

"No," Maura replied. "When I say in time, I mean after Jane and I have enjoyed our time dating and simply living life together as a couple and after we get engaged, then married, _then_ have a discussion about family planning."

"So, you're not-"

"No!" Jane interrupted. "We're not planning on popping you out a grandkid in the next 9 months! Contrary to what you're hoping and thinking, that isn't one of my top priorities!"

Both frustrated with her mother and ashamed of her outburst, Jane grabbed her beer bottle and walked up the stairs and out of sight.

"I didn't mean to upset her," Angela said softly. "I just got so excited about you two starting a family."

"I know you meant well," Maura smiled as she reached to give the older woman's hand a squeeze. "It's just been a very, very long day and the weather is causing Jane quite a bit of pain in her hands, which she hates."

"Will you tell her I'm sorry?" Angela asked. "And that I didn't mean to upset her."

"Of course I will," Maura promised. "I'll also make sure she comes to the guest house when she's had a moment to cool down."

"Thank you, Maura."

"No need to thank me," Maura smiled as she stood up, intending to find Jane. "And, for the record, you will be the first to know when Jane and I are planning to grow our family. I promise you that."

* * *

"I didn't think you knew about this attic," Maura said softly as she stood on the top of the pull down ladder with a thick afghan draped over her arm.

"I always assumed it was just some permanently locked part of your house until TJ made his way up here during a game of hide and seek," Jane admitted as she continued to stare out the attic window.

"May I join you?"

Jane nodded her head.

Stepping up the last step and into the attic, Maura pulled the drop down door up before settling down on the loveseat Jane had pushed in front of the foggy window. She smiled when Jane wrapped an arm around her shoulder after the doctor draped the afghan over their laps.

"I'm sorry I snapped."

"Would you like to talk about why you did snap?" Maura asked, pulling the familiar tin of cream out from her pants pocket and pulling one of Jane's hands into her lap to begin rubbing away the ache.

"There's a lot of reasons, I guess," Jane shrugged. "My hands hurt like hell with this freezing weather, and that always puts me on edge. Then those assholes at the crime scene today thought they could get away with calling you an Ice Queen."

"And you, Frankie, Barry, and Korsak all gave them a very honest piece of their minds," Maura reminded Jane.

"Still, they shouldn't have been treating you like that," Jane noted. "And then the kid at the crime scene today who is now at the hospital fighting to stay alive because of a killer who basically is a pro and left no fucking clues. The idea that there are people who would willingly hurt a kid like that really didn't mesh well with Ma thinking one of us is knocked up."

"She did ask me to tell you she's sorry for upsetting you and that she didn't mean to," Maura murmured, continuing her gentle massage of Jane's aching hands.

"I know she didn't mean to," Jane sighed. "I'll go down in a bit and apologize for snapping."

"She would like that," Maura whispered as she placed Jane's hand in the detective's lap and reached wordlessly for the other hand to begin massaging cream into that one.

"I do want to have a child with you, Maura," Jane stated, her voice firm after several long minutes of silence.

"I didn't say-"

"You don't have to say anything," Jane interrupted. "I know that when I said having a child wasn't my top priority, the gears in your giganto genius brain starting to churn and doubt if having a child is actually a priority at all for me. I could hear them churning all the way up here."

"You know that isn't possible," Maura said with a small smile.

"I totally think it is," Jane insisted. "But, in all seriousness, Maura. We _will_ have a kid. But right now, you are my top priority."

"Me?"

"Yeah, you," Jane smiled. "Packing up a bright red rented convertible and spending a entire week together as we drive to Disney and ride the spinning teacups and Space Mountain and then take a last minute day trip to the ocean before coming home. Hopping a flight to Paris to see all the places you discovered while you were growing up and learning about everything that has made you the woman I love. And in between those trips we're gonna go on dates and maybe move into a house with a swing set and a backyard with a firepit we can camp out in."

"Sounds like you've given this some thought," Maura smiled.

"I have," Jane laughed. "Because I want to experience everything possible with you. I want to see the world with you and experience things with you and know every single thing about you. And then, when my love for you has reached it's bursting point, I'm gonna knock you up."

"And the moment has been ruined."

"Don't pretend you don't think I'm freaking hilarious," Jane teased as Maura finished massaging her hands and tugged the doctor to sit sideways on her lap, adjusting the warm afghan over their laps. "And please don't ever doubt how much I want a family with you."

"I hope this future child of ours has your hair," Maura murmured as she rested her head on Jane's shoulder, the mess of dark curls tickling her skin.

"And I hope they do not have your eyes because holy hell will I be in trouble if they do."

* * *

**I'm not 100% in love with this chapter, but someone mentioned wanting to see Angela mention grandbabies. I have a spinal tap (seven inch needle going into my spinal area, yayyyyy) in about 5 hours so positive feedback and maybe some good mojo would be greatly appreciated.**


	35. Chapter 35

**My spinal tap was okay-they numbed me right up and I'm not in too much horrible pain right now. Hopefully the results of the spinal fluid labs will provide some answers to what has been mysteriously plaguing me for months!**

**Smut in the first section, if you'd prefer to skip that!**

* * *

"Did you want to go downstairs and make s'mores in the fireplace?" Maura asked from her perch nestled in Jane's lap, the detective's arms wrapped firmly around her waist.

"Uh-uh," Jane said softly, her arms subconsciously tightening around Maura's waist.

"We'll have to build a fort up here some time," Maura mused. "Then it really will be a safe hide away for us."

"I like that idea," Jane smiled.

"Me, too."

"Let's lay down," Jane suggested. "We can lay under the blanket and watch the snow fall and it'll be like our own cheesy romantic holiday movie."

"You seem to have quite a vast knowledge of cheesy romantic movies," Maura teased as she slid off of Jane's lap long enough for the detective to lay her body out on the loveseat and open her arms, beckoning Maura back into them.

"Only 'cause you make me watch 'em," Jane huffed, though she tugged she and Maura's bodies flush against each other. "How much of our 15.21 days of cuddling have we managed to get in?" she mumbled as she nuzzled into Maura's curls.

"Mmm, not nearly enough," Maura hummed as she felt Jane's hand gently untuck her red blouse from the black pencil skirt she wore and begin to trace gentle patterns on Maura's stomach.

"Damn right," Jane said, smiling when she felt Maura shiver slightly at the feeling of her lover tracing patterns on her stomach. "I remember the first time we had sex you started writing the words 'I love you' over and over on my stomach."

"I did," Maura confirmed as she felt Jane's hand begin to maneuver with the buttons of her blouse and expose her torso to the chilly attic air. Slightly calloused hands began to trace hearts on a pale stomach, goosebumpbs breaking out over Maura's skin in the process. "It seems as though you have more than cuddling on your mind," Maura breathed when she felt Jane's free hand brush her hair off of her neck and begin to cover it with slow, deliberate kisses.

"You complaining?"

Maura's response was caught in her throat when Jane's hand slid up her stomach and into the cup of her bra, the detective's hand beginning to massage Maura's breast eagerly. The blonde's back arched, pressing her chest into Jane's hand.

"How is it that I can't ever get enough of you?" Jane asked, moving her head slightly to watch Maura bring a hand up and unclasp the front of her bra, her nipples tightening immediately in the air chilled by the Boston winter.

"I don't question that," Maura breathed as she felt Jane's hand move to knead her other breast. "I just enjoy that you can't get enough of me and hope you always feel that way."

"Pretty sure I always will," Jane smiled as she slid her hand down Maura's stomach, the doctor's own hand coming up to begin massaging the breast Jane had abandoned as Jane began to tug Maura's skirt up to bunch around her waist. "You went commando today?" Jane asked when the skirt was bunched around Maura's waist and she felt the lack of fabric where it should have been.

A nod from Maura was her only response.

"Shit," Jane sighed as she began to lightly trace Maura's outer lips, already decidedly damp with arousal. "You have got to tell me when you're going commando next cuz that will be the day I ignore all sense of professionalism and have my way with you on that ugly and uncomfortable couch."

"Deal."

Smiling, Jane ran her fingers through the wetness of Maura's slit before beginning to circle the blonde's clit with teasing pressure.

With her hand never stopping it's massage of her breast, Maura lifted her leg up and hooked it over Jane's legs behind her, opening herself more fully to Jane's ministrations. Taking the blonde's silent instructions, Jane made a few quick and firm circles over Maura's clit before swiftly plunging two fingers into her girlfriend.

"Oh, God," Maura choked out at the sudden intrusion and unfamiliar angle of Jane's fingers within her.

"Are you-"

"I'm fine," Maura insisted as her hand shot down to cover Jane's and keep the detective's fingers nestled inside of her. "This angle is just…" she trailed off, gasping as Jane wiggled her fingers against her upper wall. "So good."

"Good to know," Jane teased, feeling the doctor let go of her hand and give her the freedom to begin slow yet powerful thrusts in and out of Maura.

Maura couldn't stop the gasps that escaped her as the long fingers of her girlfriend slid powerfully into her and sought out the most sensitive area within in, never slowing or faltering in their relentless pleasure.

"Jane," Maura gasped as she felt the detective's bite down gently on the sensitive area where her neck met her shoulder, the slight twinge of pain shooting a jolt of pleasure straight to her clit. At the overwhelmingly positive response from her girlfriend, Jane continued to run her teeth over Maura's skin, nipping and sucking until she was certain her mark had been left. And when she pulled away slightly to admire the mark now adorning Maura's neck, she quickly placed her lips back to the blonde's neck and allowed her tongue to soothe the quickly darkening mark.

It wasn't long before Jane began to feel the tell tale clenching of Maura's inner walls, squeezing her fingers tightly as the blonde fought to keep her orgasm as bay for as long as possible. The leg she had hooked over Jane's tensed before beginning to tremble, her own hand once again coming up to firmly tug at her nipples.

"Oh, my God," Maura groaned as the tightly wound coil of pleasure snapped within her and, with an arched back, came unraveled. Her eyes clenched shut, back arched, thighs trembled, and wetness trickled into the palm of Jane's hand. Jane pulled her lips away from Maura's neck to watch the blonde, subconsciously holding her own breath as Maura did the same, until her body relaxed and Maura slumped limply back against Jane, gulping in oxygen.

"You are the sexiest thing I have ever seen," Jane praised as she both felt and saw Maura's chest rising and falling rapidly. She gingerly pulled her fingers from Maura, noting the more abundant wetness than usual and contentedly bringing her hand to her lips to savor the taste of her girlfriend.

Maura could only make an unintelligible sound of acknowledgement before she reached for Jane's arm and brought it to wrap around her waist, their clasped hands resting above her still racing heart and arms running down the length of her torso.

"I'm guessing it's nap time?" Jane laughed as she felt Maura scoot back impossibly closer to the detective's front.

"Mmhmm," Maura hummed, bringing their clasped hands up to place a gentle kiss on the back of Jane's hand. "Just for a little while, though. Then dinner time."

* * *

"I think I'm gonna go into the guest house and apologize to Ma," Jane said as she and Maura worked in tandem to clear the dining room table of their dishes and tidy up the kitchen after a homemade dinner.

"Okay," Maura smiled as she turned to look at the detective, who was dangling a spinach leaf in front of Jo Friday's face as the small dog pranced around her heels. "Did you want me to come with you?"

"Nah," Jane replied, laughing as Jo barked at Jane before making her way to her bed. "I think we'll be able to refrain from murdering each other for a few minutes."

"You _think_ you'll be able to refrain from homicide?"

"Yeah," Jane shrugged. "I mean, have you met my mother?"

"You do realize I now can't be a character witness in any trial that comes up should you ever be accused of homicide," Maura pointed out. "I can't lie and you just admitted you're unsure of your inability to not commit a murder."

"Well, then it's a good thing I'm a homicide detective who knows how not to get caught," Jane grinned. At Maura's wide eyes, Jane laughed before kissing the doctor gently. "I'm kidding. Sarcasm is my first language, remember?"

"How on Earth could I ever forget?" Maura smiled, leaning up onto her toes to give Jane another kiss. "I'll be sure to listen for any screaming though."

"You always have my back," Jane said as she wiped her hands on a dishtowel before making her way to her mother's residence. She knocked on the door and waited only a few moments before Angela opened the door to the guest house, already clad in her pajamas and holding a large mug of tea. "Hey," Jane said softly.

"Hey, you," Angela smiled. "You wanna come in? I have some hot water left to make you a cup of cocoa."

"I'd like that," Jane smiled as she followed her mother into the guest house and sat down on the couch, curling her legs up to sit cross legged before gratefully accepting the mug from her mother. "Thanks," she murmured before sipping the chocolate drink.

"I'm sorry for upsetting you earlier," Angela said sadly as she took a seat on the couch near Jane. "I really didn't mean to."

"I know you didn't," Jane sighed as she looked over at her mother. "Which is why I'm really sorry I snapped at you. I shouldn't have."

"Can I share something with you?"

"You know you can always share anything with me, Ma," Jane replied. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Angela replied with a sad smile. "I've just been doing some thinking and realized that the reason I want to be such a meddling mother who is in you and Maura's business is because I'm just waiting for the day you get sick of me."

"What? Ma…"

"That's what happened with your father," Angela admitted. "Or at least that's what it feels like what happened. He got sick of me and left me in the dust. I guess part of me is scared that you and your brothers will do the same, so I've gotta be as involved as possible and experience as much as possible so when you do leave me in the dust…" she trailed off.

"Do you really think Frankie, Tommy, or I is that similar to pops?" Jane asked. "Or that we're similar to that man at all?"

"I know you're not," Angela smiled. "All three of ya are a bit hot headed, but in good ways. Not in the ways your father was."

"Exactly," Jane said. "Ma, none of us are ever gonna leave you in the dust," Jane began, her tone serious. "I mean it. Frankie would starve without your food, Tommy would panic without someone to call every time TJ so much as coughs, and I'd have no one to help Maura keep me in line. We love you and, though I'll deny this! We do love your meddling."

"Yeah, right," Angela said, though a smile tugged at her lips.

"Fine!" Jane said. "Don't believe me. Keep on having a pity party, which you know I hate, and see if I ever tell you the secret I was gonna tell you. Fiiiiine by me," she smirked as she brought the mug of hot cocoa to her lips and took a long sip.

"Secret? You were gonna tell me a secret?" Angela asked, face brightening as she scooted on the couch closer to Jane.

"I was, but not if you're gonna be all mopey and stuff."

"I'm not mopey!"

Jane laughed at her mother's excitement, but her face turned serious a moment later.

"I'm totally serious when I say you can't tell a single person about this, okay? Not even Jo Friday can know."

"My lips are sealed," Angela replied.

"I told this to Maura, but the reason having a kid isn't a top priority for me right now is because she is my top priority now. Getting to see the world with her and learn all about the things I don't know about her and stuff," Jane began. "And I don't have a time frame set yet or any ideas how I want to do it, but I'm going to ask her to marry me and, uh, I really need help picking out a ring."

* * *

Jane re-entered the main house a bit later than she'd planned on, but smiled when she saw Maura in silk pajama pants and her Red Sox hoodie, Jo curled up on her lap as she held a cup of tea in her hands.

"I could enter the house to this sight every day of my life," Jane smiled as she leaned over the back of the couch to kiss the crown of Maura's head and give Jo a scratch between the ears.

"Well, it's a good thing I don't ever plan on giving you this hoodie back," Maura grinned as Jane rounded the couch and sat down next to her, the small terrier leaving Maura's lap to prance on Jane's lap. "Especially since it works wonders to hide the hickey somebody decided to give me."

"Whaddya say, Jo?" Jane asked. "Does Mama Maura look better in my hoodie than I do?"

Jo yapped her reply.

"She says I look better in the hoodie but that you can keep it," Jane stated, looking over to Maura with a grin.

"Oh, she does?" Maura asked.

"Yup."

"See if either of you get any snuggles for the next month, then," Maura huffed as she rose to her feet and walked towards the kitchen.

"No!" Jane gasped dramatically. "Jo, quick, take it back or no more snuggles!"

"You try to work out with Jo how you'll earn your snuggles back while I run over to the guest house," Maura teased.

"Whaddya gotta go to Ma's for?"

"I bought a collection of tea that it turns out is far too strong for my liking, and I promised I would give it to her since I know she's fond of stronger tea," Maura stated as she held up a wooden box of tea. "I should be back by the time your nightly check of all the locks on the doors and windows is done."

"Kay," Jane said as she stood up, Jo in her arms. "Come on, Jo. Lets go fluff Mama Maura's pillows for her."

Rolling her eyes, Maura grabbed the box of tea and made her way over to the guest house.

"Maura, dear," Angela smiled when she opened the door to reveal the doctor.

"Hi, Angela," Maura greeted. "I brought you the box of tea I promised."

"You didn't have to bring it right away," Angela said, accepting the box and motioning for Maura to come into the house. "I could have gotten it tomorrow when I let Jo out before going into work."

"I know you could have," Maura said. "But there was something I wanted to talk to you about and I didn't want to wait."

"Is everything alright, dear?" Angela asked when she noticed the nervous tone in the blonde's voice, immediately setting the box of tea on the counter and walking over to where Maura was, leaning against the counter of the guest house kitchen. "Are you sick? Is Janie sick?"

"Oh, no, it's nothing like that," Maura answered, smiling as Angela gave her hands a soft squeeze. "It's something quite different, actually."

"I'm trying not to be nervous but you're not making that easy," Angela noted with a smile.

"I apologize," Maura smiled. "It's just...In hindsight, I should have waited to bring this up until I had a more concrete plan or time frame in mine, but I would love nothing more than to ask Jane to marry me and I feel as though I should ask your blessing to do so."

"Oh, of course!" Angela beamed, her arms immediately reaching to wrap around Maura in a tight embrace.

"I was hoping you'd say that," Maura smiled as she returned Angela's hug. "I am also hoping you'll help me pick out a ring for her."

* * *

Laughing? Smiling? Rolling your eyes? Hating where this is going?

Reviews are lovely!


	36. Chapter 36

I'm glad some of ya'll got a kick out of that last update! I was nervous it would be too silly or dumb but your positive responses (and continued well wishes for my health) mean so much to this young writer!

Someone requested a touch of angst so here ya go!

* * *

Waking up held tightly by her detective's strong arms was one of Maura's favorite feelings in the world. She praised her body for it's natural tendency to wake up earlier than their alarm to give her a few minutes to enjoy the feeling of breathing in synch with her lover and being held protectively even as the other woman slept.

So the next morning when Maura woke to both a lack of blankets and a lack of detective wrapped around her, her lips turned into a slight frown as she groggily sat up and looked to her side to see why her day was already starting off with a frown.

All traces of sleepiness left her body when she saw Jane curled up as tightly as her long limbs would allow, buried under all the blankets of their bed, her face clearly uneasy as unruly tendrils of dark hair stuck to her unusually ashen and sweaty forehead.

"Jane?" she asked, reaching a hand out to Jane's shoulder to wake her gently.

The detective groaned and scooted away from Maura's soft touch, hunching herself into a tighter ball and burrowing deeper under the thick blankets covering her.

"Jane, my sweet girl," Maura tried again, slipping from the bed to quickly make her way to the other side of the bed to crouch in front of the groggy woman. "Sweetheart, what's wrong?"

"Hurts," was Jane's simple reply.

"What hurts?"

"Everywhere."

"I'm going to get a thermometer and check your temperature," Maura said as she felt her heart begin to race. It was rare the detective ever admitted to any modicum of pain, so such a clear display of unease alarmed Maura. She quickly made her way to the en suite, tossing a wash cloth in the sink and turning on cool water to wet it while she pulled out her thermometer and a small bottle of ibuprofen. Wringing the excess water from the cloth, Maura made her way back to the bedroom and knelt down by Jane's side.

"I brought you a cool washcloth," Maura said gently. "Would you like it on your forehead or your neck, love?"

When Jane didn't respond, Maura gingerly placed the cloth on a sweat dampened forehead before cupping Jane's chin and guiding the thermometer into the detective's mouth. While waiting for it to read, Maura's fingers quickly slipped under the blankets to find Jane's wrist and, after a few moments, find a pulse that she knew was higher than it should be.

"Go to work," Jane mumbled, the thermometer still in her mouth.

"Shhh," Maura soothed, her own pulse quickening when the thermometer beeped and she looked to see a reading of 102.7. "Your temperature is almost 103 degrees, your pulse nearly 40 beats above your typical resting rate, and-"

Maura's sentence was cut off as Jane rolled from the bed and made a beeline for the en suite, the sweat that had permeated the back of her t-shirt visible as she dropped to her knees in front of the toilet and heaved. She felt as though her entire body was shaking in both pain and chills as her stomach churned.

"Oh, Jane," Maura sighed as she picked up the fallen washcloth and brought it into the en suite, placing it on Jane's neck from which she could feel heat emanating. "I think we should call your doctor. This could be more than a simple virus and you could need medications."

"Work," Jane croaked as she fought down another wave of nausea and scooted closer to the toilet bowl.

"Love, you aren't going to work like this," Maura said with a soft smile. "I'm sure-"

"No, you go to work," Jane corrected.

"One of the benefits of being the Chief Medical Examiner is getting a bit of flexibility regarding working from home or the morgue, and today I choose to work from home and keep an eye on you," Maura stated.

"Dammit, Maura," Jane groaned as she brought a hand up to rub at her pounding temples. "Just go to work. Go shower, get dressed, and go to work."

Taken aback at Jane's sudden outburst, Maura could only look at the brunette sadly before bending down to press a kiss to the crown of Jane's head, not missing the way Jane refused to open her eyes or in any way acknowledge Maura was there.

"You know your way around the medicine cabinet," she murmured sadly. "And you also know how to get in touch with me should you need me. I love you, my sweet girl."

At Jane's silence, Maura grabbed her large fluffy robe from where it hung in the en suite and made her way out of their bedroom and into the guest room to prepare for work.

* * *

"Maura?"

The blonde looked up from where she had been aimlessly staring at her laptop to see Angela standing in her office doorway, a cup of tea in her hands.

"I brought you some of that tea you insisted I start carrying at the cafe upstairs," Angela smiled. "The kind with a ton of vitamin C in it to fight off sickness. Since, well, I don't want both of my girls to be sick. I would have brought it down sooner but Mr. Stanley is in one of his moods today and wouldn't let me leave until after the lunch rush."

"Thank you," Maura smiled as she stood from behind her desk and gestured for Angela to have a seat on the couch, joining the elder woman a moment later. "Have you heard from Jane?" she asked after accepting the cup of tea from Angela.

"No," Angela sighed. "Vince came up to the cafe to get some breakfast earlier and told me she had called in sick. I tried to call her but didn't get an answer."

"She had a rather high fever this morning and was vomiting, but I hope she would let one of us know if she was in serious need of anything," Maura mused.

"She would get these horrible fevers as a child, always throwing up and aching all over for a day or two and then, poof! Next thing I know she's racing Joey Grant to the park," Angela smiled.

"I hope this is something similar."

"I'm sure it is," Angela said with a loving pat on Maura's arm. "I was wondering if you had a bit of free time right now? I know you don't just work with Homicide, but Vince said your caseload is pretty light and I was thinking maybe you wanted to start browsing online for rings for Janie? So we maybe have some ideas when we go shopping. At least here we're protected from Jane's wandering eyes and ears."

"The caseload is quite light, and I do have about an hour before my next scheduled appointment…" Maura trailed off, looking down into the cup of tea absentmindedly.

"I sense a 'but' in there," Angela noted.

"But what if marrying Jane isn't what she wants?"

"What?" Angela gaped.

"I know we've talked about it, and it does seem to be something we've agreed upon, but…" Maura trailed off. "But I've been thinking about the traditional marriage vows. I've never imagined myself reciting traditional vows and always dreamed of writing my own vows, but one of the key parts of a traditional vow is 'in sickness and in health,'" the doctor noted.

"Yes…"

"And clearly Jane doesn't want me by her side in sickness," Maura said sadly. "I was trying to help her this morning and she snapped at me to just get dressed and go to work."

"Honey," Angela began.

"And maybe that was just the fever or the pain talking," Maura continued, still avoiding eye contact with Angela as her insecurities bubbled up. "But maybe it's really Jane not truly being absolutely certain that she wants me by her side through the good and the bad."

"But you've already been by her side through the good and the bad, just like she's been at your side through the good and bad, too," Angela pointed out.

"As friends, yes," Maura sighed. "Never as romantic partners. If she demands I leave and go to work when she's sick while we're merely dating, what will happen when she's sick when we're married?"

"You sound like you're hurting," Angela pointed out as she watched the blonde place the cup of tea on the coffee table and begin to smooth invisible wrinkles from her skirt.

"I am," the doctor admitted sadly. "It hurt me more than I expected it to when Jane snapped at me and demanded I leave her this morning."

"I love my daughter more than anything in this world, but she sure can be an asshole sometimes," Angela stated as she reached out to take Maura's hands in her own.

"Angela!" Maura chuckled.

"You know I'm telling the truth," the elder Rizzoli smiled.

"Do you think marriage is the right path for Jane and I?" Maura asked, finally bringing her gaze to meet Angela's. "Your desire for grandchildren and for one of your children to marry a doctor aside, do you truly believe that Jane would want me by her side in sickness, health, richer, poorer, and everything else that comes with marriage vows?"

"I know she wants no one but you by her side," Angela stated, a confident smile on her face.

"I hope you're right."

"Oh, a mother is always right," Angela grinned. "Now, did you want to browse online for rings or-"

The buzzing of Maura's phone interrupted Angela as an incoming text message alert flashed Jane's name and a photo of she and Maura on the screen.

"It's Jane," Maura noted as she pulled her hands from Angela's and reached for the phone, her first contact with Jane since early that morning.

_Please come home?_

* * *

In an uncharacteristic move, Maura kicked her heels off the instant she was inside of their house and tossed her keys and purse onto the nearest countertop before making her way towards the stairwell as fast as her pencil skirt would allow. She was just about to call out Jane's name when Jo came scampering out of the master bedroom and barked before darting back into the bedroom. Following the small terrier, Maura entered the bedroom to see a Jane sized lump on the bed, covered by several extra comforters she kept stored in a closet.

"Jane?" Maura asked, kneeling at Jane's side of the bed as she had done earlier, pulling blanket after blanket off the detective until she felt Jane prop herself up and was able to wrap her arms around her, ignoring the silk blouse she wore as she cradled Jane's sweat dampened head to her chest. It was an awkward embrace, but neither woman cared.

"I'm so sorry I snapped at you," Jane mumbled as she felt Maura run her fingers through her curls.

"Shhh," Maura soothed.

"I love you so much," Jane said, pulling away from Maura's chest to look sadly at the blonde. "I really, really love you."

"I love you, too, my sweet girl," Maura smiled. "How are you feeling?"

"Miserable."

"I have a pair of my black scrubs in the closet if you'd like me to help nurse you back to health," Maura teased as she brushed curls away from Jane's face, noting the heat that still emanated from the detective.

Jane chuckled at Maura's teasing, smiling gratefully at the blonde as she lowered her achy body back to lie down on the bed.

"I feel like a limp noodle," Jane sighed, her eyes closing as Maura began to run her fingers through the roots of Jane's curls near her forehead. "That's been hit by a semi-truck."

"Have you showered today?"

"You tryin' to tell me I stink or something?" Jane asked, peeking at Maura through one eye.

"I'm trying to see if you'd like me to draw you a bath with a few drops of essential oils that will help your muscles feel less achy," Maura replied. "I'm fairly certain you're already aware of your stench."

"I don't even have the energy to fight you on that."

"I know," Maura smiled. "That's why I said it," she added with a kiss to Jane's forehead. "I'll draw you a bath and meet you in the en suite in a few minutes?"

"Mmmkay," Jane hummed.

With one last kiss to Jane's forehead, Maura rose from her position kneeling next to their bed and made her way into the en suite to begin filling the tub with steaming water and various essential oils for Jane to enjoy.

"You're gonna join me, right?" came Jane's husky voice from the bathroom's entry way.

"If you'd like me to."

"Duh," Jane grinned as she peeled off her sweat soaked pajamas and, with a gesture from Maura, slid into the front half of the tub.

Taking Jane's silent cue, Maura slid out of her clothes and laid them over the edge of the hamper before easing herself into the tub behind Jane, sliding her legs open to tug Jane flush against her before sliding the glass door shut and allowing the scent of lavender and rose to fill the air around them.

"I was so scared when you told me to leave this morning," Maura admitted as she began to run a washcloth over Jane's shoulders.

"Scared?"

"That I would come home after work to find your sickness was more than just a bug and you had died while I was away."

"I'm not that sick," Jane tried to reason.

"I know," Maura said softly. "But remember that I'm surrounded by death every day. Every single day I'm reminded of the fact that we're humans, just like everyone else who comes across my autopsy table, and one day one of us will die before the other."

"Maura..."

"And I was terrified that I would come home to find that you, despite being TJ's idea of the bestest hero in the whole world, were indeed human and died," the doctor continued.

"I shouldn't have snapped at you or made you leave," Jane apologized, giving Maura's thigh a gentle squeeze. "I can be an asshole sometimes."

"Your mother said the same thing," Maura chuckled, tilting Jane's head back to bring the washcloth up and wring it out over brunette curls, intending to wash the curls of sweat.

"You and ma talk about me behind my back?" Jane grumbled.

"Of course we do," Maura teased. "Although today she came down to the lab primarily to do some online shopping with me. The talking about you behind your back was just an added bonus."

"Talkin' about me and getting her started on online shopping? You and ma are just two good ol' bosom buddies," Jane smiled.

"We didn't get to any online shopping because the minute I got your text, I was out of the lab and rushing to my car."

"You gave up online shopping to come home to your sick, sort of an asshole girlfriend?" Jane asked.

"I would give up shopping permanently if it meant coming home to you every day," the doctor admitted softly. Her eyes traveled down to Jane's left hand and a smile tugged at her lips as she imagined sliding a ring onto the detective's ring finger.

"Maura? Earth to Maura?"

The doctor was pulled from her engagement ring daydream when she heard Jane's voice calling her name.

"You were totally zoned out on me," Jane laughed as she felt Maura's hands, which had stopped running through her curls, move to begin massaging her shoulders.

"Sorry," Maura said sheepishly. "Lost in a daydream."

"Musta been a damn good daydream to get your genius brain to zone out so hardcore," Jane noted.

"It was a very, very, _very_ damn good daydream."

* * *

I'm posting this from my phone so I apologize for any formatting errors.

As always, I would love to hear reviews, suggestions for future chapters, etc...


	37. Chapter 37

**So, so sorry for the long delay. My health has been worsening and I've been both a physical and emotional wreck.**

* * *

"Jane, come on."

"MmmMmm."

"Do I need to use your middle name?"

Jane's eyes narrowed to slits as she tried her best to give Maura a threatening glare, only succeeding in making the blonde chuckle.

"Open your mouth, take this medicine, and then I'll put those black scrubs that you love so much on," Maura bargained as she held out a small plastic cup of red cold medicine.

"It tastes grossssss," Jane whined, tugging the comforter up to cover her mouth as she spoke. "Why can't I just take the little gel filled capsule things? Why do I gotta drink that nasty stuff?"

"Because your body will absorb this quicker than the gel capsule, plus this is more potent and will help you feel better sooner," Maura explained as she sat on the edge of the bed and looked at Jane expectantly. "Just pretend you're back at the academy, taking shots of goodness knows what because some chauvinistic wannabe officer said you couldn't because you're a girl."

With a huff, Jane flung the covers off her body before sitting up and grumbling while accepting the small cup of cold medicine. With one final glare at Maura, Jane downed the red liquid and slammed the cup onto the bedside time, scrunching her face up as the taste lingered in her mouth.

"Was that so hard?" Maura asked as she picked up the cup and retreated to the en suite to rinse it and put it away.

"Yes!" Jane called after her.

"Well, if you're that angry with me over making you take a bit of medicine, I suppose that means you don't want to see me change into those black scrubs and make you feel better?" Maura asked, a devilish glint in her eyes as she leaned against the doorframe of the en suite clad in a matching red silk pajama set with a pair of scrubs in her hand.

"That depends," Jane said as she pushed herself to sit up against the headboard of the bed. "Am I watching you change into those black scrubs or…"

"Detective Rizzoli," Maura gasped as she pushed herself off the doorframe to stand at the foot of the bed. "Are you asking me for a strip tease without saying the magic word?"

"Please?" Jane asked, grinning as she watched Maura set the folded scrubs on the foot of the bed before pulling her hair from the messy bun she'd pulled it into after their bath and running her fingers through her hair.

"Now remember," Maura began as her hands went to the bottom button of her sleep shirt and began to leisurely undo the buttons one by one. "You're sick and I'd hate to catch whatever bug you have so you can look but you cannot touch."

"I am a-okay with that," Jane said, eyes darkening as Maura finished unbuttoning her shirt and parted it slightly to reveal a sliver of pale skin, interrupted by a band of lavender lace.

Maura couldn't help but chuckle at the way all signs of disgust from the cold medicine disappeared from Jane's eyes and were quickly replaced with eyes darkened with lust as she shimmied her shoulders just enough to cause the sleep shirt to fall from her shoulders and land at her feet.

"These scrubs are the by far the most comfortable I've ever worn," Maura mused as she traced the tops of her bra where the edges of lace met a flushed chest. "They're so comfortable, in fact, that I may not even need to wear a bra underneath them."

"I promise that I will never, ever make fun of you for splurging on fancy scrubs or anything else ever again," Jane stated as she watched Maura turn her back to the detective and, with skilled fingers, unclasp her bra and toss it over her shoulder in Jane's general direction. Before Jane could offer a wolf whistle or any other reaction, Maura was bending down at the waist, her silk clad ass on display for Jane. The brunette could make out faint panty lines and groaned as she saw Maura's hands move to her hips and hook fingers underneath the pajamas waist, pulling them down teasingly until she was able to step out of them and leave them in the pile with her top.

Another groan came from Jane when she saw the matching lavender panties leaving very little of Maura's lower half to her imagination.

With a grin gracing her lips, Maura slowly turned around and winked at Jane as she allowed the detective to take in the sight of her near naked body in the full lighting they often lacked during evening lovemaking.

"Jane?" Maura asked as Jane flung the covers off of her body and quickly made her way over to Maura, hands immediately coming to massage pale hips.

"Screw wearing those scrubs," Jane husked as she nudged Maura's head to the side with her nose and began to place fervent kisses along the doctor's neck.

"But you're-"

"Suddenly feeling much, much better," Jane interrupted as her hands moved to grasp Maura's ass and lift her up, the blonde's legs instinctively coming to wrap around Jane's waist.

"Oh, really?" Maura laughed as she felt Jane make her way to the edge of the bed and sit down, Maura straddling her and running her fingers through wild curls.

"Yes, really," Jane confirmed before taking Maura's lips with her own and eagerly slipping her tongue forward to meet Maura's. When Maura pulled away abruptly, a frown on her face, Jane couldn't help the worry that formed in her gut. "Maur?" she asked. "What's wrong?"

"You're right," Maura said, her frown deepening. "That cold medicine does taste awful."

* * *

"Oh, Maura. This is so exciting!"

"And also a tad bit nerve wracking," Maura smiled as she and Angela made their way towards their first jewelry store of their ring shopping.

"Honey, you know Janie wants nothing more than to marry you," Angela soothed as she hooked arms with Maura. "And we both know you have more style and fashion sense than anyone else on the East Coast."

"I know Jane wants to marry me, and I realize now my doubts were completely unwarranted," Maura mused. "And though my fashion sense is strong, this ring needs to be something special. Something so completely Jane that everyone who sees it will know it was picked with the utmost amount of love."

"It doesn't matter what everyone else thinks when they see it," Angela smiled. "All that matters is what Jane thinks."

"And that she better be thinking yes when she first sees it," Maura chuckled as they broke their arms apart to enter the large jewelry store, immediately being greeted by a well dressed saleswoman.

"Hi, ladies," she greeted. "How are you doing today?"

"We're doing just great," Angela answered. "Just me and my future daughter-in-law spending the day together to look at engagement rings," she added with growing excitement.

"Oh, you're shaking things up and asking him to marry you?" the saleswoman asked as she turned to look and Maura.

"Actually, I'm asking my girlfriend to marry me, not a man," Maura politely corrected. "Although she thinks she is going to be the first to propose, so I suppose I am shaking things up a bit."

"My apologies," the woman said upon hearing Maura's response. "Did you have a specific ring in mind or were you interested in looking at what options we have to create a custom ring for your future wife?"

"This is our first stop, so I think we'd like to look at both. Peruse the rings you have in stock and also see what custom rings are possible here," Maura replied, feeling her nerves leaving and replacing themselves with excitement growing in her stomach.

"Sounds like a plan to me," the woman smiled. "If you both would like to follow me, I can take you to where our engagement rings are displayed and we can get started!"

This time it was Maura who linked her arm with Angela's as the two women smiled giddily at each other and followed the sales woman to where Jane's future engagement ring sat waiting.

The three women began to make pleasant conversation, describing Jane and the style of ring Maura felt would best suit both her personality and her work, as Angela interjected with childhood stories of Jane and how thrilled she was that the two best friends had finally made the change to lovers. Throughout the conversation Maura would point to a ring, she and Angela would examine it, and they would either ask it to be set aside to be looked at again or placed back in the case from which it came.

Just as Maura and Angela were settling down with the saleswoman to look over the tray of half a dozen rings more closely, Maura separated from the chairs set out for them and found herself walking towards a case they hadn't perused before.

"Maura?" Angela asked, watching as Maura delicately kneeled, thankful she had work a skirt with a bit of wiggle room, to peer into the case.

"I hadn't even thought to show you our titanium rings," the saleswoman smiled.

"It's the strongest metal, though incredibly lightweight, and would no doubt survive all of the wear and tear that comes with being Jane Rizzoli," Maura noted, not taking her eyes from the ring. "If I like a ring in this case, but want to add a touch of something personal, could that be done?"

"Depends," the saleswoman said as she walked over to the case, Angela hot on her heels. "What are you thinking?" she asked, walking to unlock the case from behind.

"Second row from the front, third from my left," Maura said, looking at the Rizzoli matriarch as a polished titanium ring with diamonds set flush into the titanium running around the entire band. "The diamonds are set into the titanium, which means they won't snag on anything, and even with the diamonds it will still be light enough for her to wear daily," she explained as Angela looked at the chosen ring.

"It's very lovely," Angela smiled at the doctor. "And you seem to be quite smitten with it," she added as she watched Maura lift the ring and smile as images of it resting on a tan finger flashed through her head.

"I agree, you do seem quite in love with this one," the saleswoman agreed.

"One of the few things Jane loves more than her job is this city, and one of the few things she loves more than this city are the Red Sox," Maura smiled as she continued to run her fingers over the smooth titanium and shining diamonds. "Would it be at all possible to contact whomever makes this ring and ask them to add in just a touch of ground rubies into the titanium before pouring it to form the ring?"

Angela gasped at the suggestion, while the sales woman simply smiled and moved to a different case and pulled a plain titanium ring out, this one sparkling in the light.

"This ring has ground diamonds added to the titanium before being poured," she noted. "So, just so I'm understanding, you want the diamonds running along the entire band like this ring, but you want the titanium to look like this ring, only with rubies?"

"Is that possible?" Maura asked, hopeful hazel eyes looking up to the saleswoman.

"Give me a few minutes to confirm with my supervisor and I'll be able to give you a definitive yes," she smiled before taking both rings in her hands and walking into a back room.

"Our first shop and you think you've found the one," Angela smiled, giving Maura a playful nudge.

"I think I have," Maura smiled, turning to look at the woman beside her.

"Sweetheart, why do you look like you're about to cry?" Angela asked when she noted the shimmer in Maura's eyes.

"I love your daughter with all I have, and the idea that I will give this ring to Jane and become an honorary Rizzoli is something I have dreamed of for so long."

"Oh, Maura," Angela smiled as she embraced Maura in a motherly embrace. "You have been a Rizzoli from the very first time I ever met you."

* * *

**I am so sorry this is so short and coming after such a long delay, but as I mentioned my health has been worsening and no doctors or specialists have been able to diagnose or offer relief. Any free time I have is spent looking for a new job and I apologize profusely. I will update more regularly!**

**Reviews are so lovely!**


	38. Chapter 38

**Thank you all so very much for your kind reviews and for your well wishes regarding my poor health and my hunt for a new job. Your kind words are very appreciated.**

**Also. This story hit over 1,000 reviews the other day. Say whaaaaaaaaaaaat?**

* * *

"Alright, Ma, you remember the rules I gave you?" Jane asked as she parked her car in front of a jewelry store, Angela ensuring they didn't visit the one Maura had ordered Jane's ring from.

"Of course I do," Angela said with mock annoyance. At Jane's questioning glare, Angela sighed and began to rattle off the rules Jane had laid out for her as they drove. "No squealing, no crying, no running from case to case like a little kid, no embarrassing stories about you as a child, and...Oh, what was that last one?"

"Ma!"

"Oh, right. Do not, under any circumstances, tell anyone that we went ring shopping today."

"Very good," Jane smiled as she unlocked the car doors and began to walk into the shop, Angela following close behind. The two Rizzoli women exchanged pleasantries with the salesman, Angela giving Jane an impressed look when he disappeared into the back room to get them each a chilled glass of sparkling cider.

"This place is fancy," Angela murmured as she and Jane began to peruse the shop, a few of the particularly expensive price tags catching Angela's eyes.

"Tell me about it," Jane said as she noticed how underdressed she and her mother were in comparison to the other shoppers. "But ya know how I've been giving some presentations at the Academy and helping train cadets at the shooting range and obstacle courses?"

"Sean was telling me about you doing that for him," Angela nodded. "He said you'd been doing it on and off since the summer."

"Yeah," Jane replied. "Well, every presentation I gave or class I helped train earned me a little bit of a bonus. I've been saving up all those bonuses in an account separate from my checking account so it's just been sitting growing interest. I figured what better way to use that money than to buy Maura the best ring?"

"I'm so proud of you, Janie," Angela smiled as she kissed the side of her daughter's forehead. "You're going to pick out the best ring today. I can feel it."

"Hey, remember the rules! No crying!"

"I'm not!" Angela defended, turning away from Jane to accept the sparkling cider from the salesman and allow the man to begin showing Jane the various stones, styles, bands, and more that she could combine to create Maura's custom ring.

"Before we get too far, I wanna start out by saying I don't want a diamond ring," Jane stated as she sat down across from the salesman at the custom ring counter.

"You don't?" both he and Angela asked at the same time, looking at the detective with curious faces.

"Yeah," Jane said as she fished her phone from her pocket. "Well, at least not for the main stone," she continued as she pulled up a photo on her phone and showed it to the salesman.

"A white opal," the man smiled in recognition as Jane moved her phone to show Angela the pearl colored gemstone that shimmered with various colors as it caught the light.

"It's stronger than pearl, which was my first choice for her ring, and it's unique and multi-faceted, just like Maura," Jane explained as she looked towards her mother. "Do you think it's a good choice, Ma?" she asked, her voice soft as she genuinely looked to her mother for approval.

"I think it's beautiful, Janie," Angela smiled. "It will look absolutely gorgeous on Maura."

"Do you guys have white opal?" Jane asked, a smile on her face as she turned on the salesman.

"We have a small collection in store, yes, as well as various sizes and shapes we can have ordered to be used on your custom ring," the man answered as he reached into a case a few down from where they stood and pulled out a small collection of white opals. "Do you want to pick which stone you'd like first, or pick the band style and then the stone?"

"Uh, actually, I kind of have this ring envisioned in my head and was hoping I could describe it to you and you could maybe see how close we can come to making it real?" Jane asked.

"Let's hear about this ring you've got hopes for."

"Okay, so, I want a silver band that is almost like two bands twisting or braiding together," Jane began, envisioning Maura's delicate fingers adorned with a custom ring. "Kind of, I dunno the right word…"

"Whimsical?" the salesman suggested.

"Yeah, that's a good one," Jane said with a nod. "And I don't want the bands to just be plain silver. I have this vision of diamonds going around the band, not sitting on top of them but sorta set into the band so they don't snag any clothes or anything. And the diamonds get smaller and smaller the farther away they get from the center white opal until they're just itty bitty diamonds that meet at the end of the band opposite of the opal."

"Janie," Angela breathed as she heard her daughter describe the ring she hoped to create for Maura. "I think you're going to take her breath away."

'"Unless she manages to propose to me first," Jane laughed, turning her attention back to the salesman to finish creating Maura's ring.

* * *

"I'm home!" Jane called as she kicked her thick winter boots off and onto the mat near the door to absorb the melting snow. "Hiya, Jo!" Jane grinned as she hung up her coat and scooped the excited terrier into her arms. "Looks like somebody missed me," she laughed as Jo happily licked her face.

"We all did," Maura smiled as she appeared at the foot of the stairs, clad in yoga pants and a large sweater hanging to expose a freckled shoulder. "There's a winter storm set to hit soon and I was hoping you and Angela would be home before the snow began to make the roads unsafe."

"I'll always make it home safe to you," Jane promised as she moved to hold Jo with just one arm and used her now free arm to embrace Maura and kiss her gently. "Although Ma conveniently ran into Cav as we were leaving the mall and the two of them are going to go to dinner later tonight and do goodness knows what else," Jane said with a scrunched up nose.

"As long as she's safe from the storm," Maura replied with another kiss to Jane's lips. "Unless you're extremely hungry from your mother, daughter bonding with Angela, I was thinking of making us tortilla soup for dinner."

"Does that take long to make?" Jane asked as she let Jo down to scamper towards her stash of toys.

"Not any longer than any other soup or chilli," Maura answered. "Why do you ask?"

"Cuz," Jane grinned as she swiftly picked Maura up, carrying her bridal style up the stairwell. "It's barely 3 o'clock, and since the soup doesn't take long, we're gonna snuggle."

Maura's only response came in the form of a light, airy laugh as she held onto Jane's neck and allowed the detective to carry her into their bedroom and set her gently on her side of the bed, darting into the bathroom to change into a pair of sweatpants before diving to join Maura under the covers.

"Don't you dare try to use my legs to warm up your freezing feet," Maura warned as she and Jane lay face to face, each woman resting a hand on the other's hip.

"I would never!"

"Mmhmm," Maura said, eyeing Jane skeptically.

"Okay, so maybe I would," Jane smirked. "But I made sure to wear two pairs of those thick wool socks we bought so my feet aren't even that cold!"

Maura simply smiled and scooted herself closer to Jane, their torsos nearly touching. Jane moved her hand to begin tracing idle patterns over Maura's sweatshirt as the doctor's hand slipped under the detective's long sleeved shirt to rest on olive skin.

"Ya wanna know something?" Jane asked after they had rested in silence for several moments.

"Always," Maura responded.

"I really loved hearing you said 'we all did' when I told Jo it looked like somebody missed me," Jane admitted. "It sounded like I was coming home from a long day and you had been forced to postpone bedtime because our child refused to go to sleep until mama came home to help tuck them into bed."

A wide smile broke out onto Jane's face as she pulled their bodies flush against each other and nuzzled her head just above where Jane's heart beat in her chest.

"It sounded to me like a small child in tortoise pajamas running down the stairs with a stuffed terrier puppy toy in their arms, dragging their mothers to hunt for monsters in the closet," Maura admitted.

"Well, we are pretty good monster hunters," Jane smiled as she kissed the crown of Maura's head.

"I'm fairly certain it's written somewhere in our job descriptions," Maura joked. "And also in the job description of being a mother."

"Well, you could come to my new patient appointment at your OB/GYN's office this week and we could find out if that really is part of the motherhood job description," Jane said softly. "And do your doctor thing and interpret all the medical mumbo jumbo I'm sure as hell not gonna understand."

"Is this the Jane Rizzoli way of having the family planning talk?" Maura asked, her smiling lips placing a kiss to Jane's throat.

"Yeah."

"Well, then I would love nothing more than to come to your new patient appointment and discuss our future family with Dr. Addy with you," Maura stated.

"I wish it it didn't have to involve appointments and discussions," Jane sighed as she hugged Maura tighter.

"What do you mean?"

"I just...I just wish we could have a kid naturally. Like, without tons of appointments and planning and procedures. Just naturally, and in the privacy of our home instead of a weird office."

"I'm sure your mother has a spare turkey baster we could use in the privacy of our own home," Maura replied, her face stoic.

"What the-Maura!" Jane said, pinching at the doctor's side. "You choose now to learn about sarcasm? And use it when talking about a turkey baster to get pregnant?"

"I'm sorry, but the look on your face was completely worth it," Maura laughed as she watched Jane's face flutter through a myriad of emotions.

"You're lucky I love you so much," Jane huffed, laughing as Maura rolled their bodies to push Jane onto her back and straddle the detective with a glint in her eyes. "Well hello there," Jane smiled.

"Hi," Maura smiled, reaching a hand to brush Jane's dimple gently.

"Any particular reason you've decided to assume this position, not that I don't love the view," Jane asked.

"Well," Maura began as she pulled her sweater off to reveal pert breasts with nipples already stiff from the chilly air. "Even though we can't have a child in the traditional way, it never hurts to try."

"Couldn't agree with you more, doc," Jane winked.

* * *

"Please don't kill me, Jane."

"Uh, what?" Jane asked, looking up from her coffee to see a nervous looking Frost sitting at his desk. "Why would I kill you?"

"Just wait," Korsak grinned from his desk. "Go on, Frosty. Tell Rizzoli what ya did."

"Ya know how Cav mentioned the higher ups want to promote more unity between the units? Like, have homicide get along better with drugs, and have major crimes get along better with special victims, and-"

"Basically have every detective in Boston sit in a big circle and sing Kumbaya?" Jane asked, sitting at her desk and looking towards her partner.

"Yeah," Frost sighed. "Well, they're actually going through with that by having one team of partners from each unit, plus a few officers on their way to detective, spend a weekend team building at this special lodge complete with indoor obstacle courses, team building activities, and a whole lotta Kumbaya singing."

"And that means I'm gonna kill you why?" Jane asked, looking towards Korsak who was trying to contain his laughter at Frost's nervous face.

"Cav cornered me this morning had me draw out of a hat who you and I are gonna be partnered with and when we're going to the lodge," Frost admitted.

"And?"

"We're the sacrificial lambs going first in a week," Barry said. "And we're going with Crowe and Martinez."

"Are you fucking serious?" Jane groaned, dropping her head into her hands as she heard the news. "You're lucky there are security cameras around here, Frost."

"You better check every lock and every window tonight, Frost," Korsak laughed.

"I hope they do a trust fall when it's your turn and nobody catches you," Frost groaned. "I'm sorry, partner," Frost apologized as he looked to Jane. "I can see if we can get a re-draw since both of us weren't here or something? Or just buy you a case of beer every week until I die?"

"Cav isn't gonna let us change this," Jane sighed. "If anybody needs to learn how to not want to strangle each other, it's us and those two boneheads. So I guess I won't kill you. But you better bring at least half of that lifetime supply of beer to the lodge."

"You got it, partner."

* * *

**And that last segment may seem a bit random, but I do promise you we're getting set up for something. You'll just have to review and wait to find out what.**


	39. Chapter 39

**I have no words for how incredible you all are. My health is still failing, and my hunt for a new job is still sucky, but your kind words bring a smile to my face.**

**Also, I'm flubbing the show's timeline a bit here with how old TJ is and when Jane's miscarriage happened. Just FYI. Don't yell at me. hah.**

* * *

"Alrighty," a middle aged woman with a warm smile began as she rolled her chair to sit closer to Jane and Maura. "I'm quite familiar with Maura, and she's told me quite a bit about you, but how about you tell me more about you and why you've decided to switch OB/GYNs?"

"Well, I don't think there's much to tell other than what Maur has probably already told you," Jane smiled as she felt Maura running her thumb up and down Jane's own thumb, their hands clasped together. "I'm a homicide detective for Boston Police, born and raised here like any good Italian Catholic daughter, and make a terrible batch of cannoli like any horrible Italian Catholic daughter."

"And your family? Have they disowned you for your cannoli skills yet?" Dr. Addy asked with a grin.

"Thankfully, not yet," Jane laughed. "My Ma lives in our guest house, my younger brother Frankie is also a detective, and my youngest brother Tommy works in plumbing like my Pop did. My pop is out of the picture, living in Florida now, but I've got an adorable 3 year old nephew named TJ, a mutt terrier named Jo, and a tortoise named Bass to make up for that. Plus the brothers and sisters in blue."

"Sounds like a pretty great, albeit hodge podge, family you've got there."

"Yeah," Jane smiled, giving Maura's hand a squeeze. "But eventually Maura and I want to add on to the wacky family we have by having a kid or two, which is why I switched to this office. Figured it would make the whole process easier."

"Do you have a time frame for when you'd like to add onto your family?"

Jane looked to Maura, silently asking the blonde for input.

"Not yet," Maura replied, smiling at Jane before turning to face her long time doctor. "It will most likely be after we've gotten married, which hasn't been set into a time frame either. We just thought it would be pertinent to begin looking at the process for in-vitro early so we have the best chance of successfully having our own child."

"That's a smart idea," the redhead smiled. "Though I'm sure you both have already done at least some preliminary research, the best option in this case is for one of you to have your eggs harvested and mixed with donor sperm and then implanted into the other's uterus to carry the fetus to term. That way you both will be listed on the birth certificate and you won't have to do any sort of weird adoption of a kid you carried or that was made with your egg."

"And just so we're all on the same page, Maura will be the one carrying the baby. My job is dangerous, even if I'm on desk duty it can get pretty bad, and I did have a miscarriage almost two years ago so we decided she would be the best one to carry."

"I agree with that, given what I know about her reproductive organs and her overall health. That does mean, however, that both of you will have to be giving the other one shots. Jane, you'll need shots to help produce as many eggs as possible to be harvested and Maura, you'll need shots to maintain hormone levels and ensure your ovaries will accept and remain hospitable for the fetus."

"I hate shots," Jane whined as she looked to Maura with a scrunched up face.

Maura simply arched an eyebrow at the pouting detective.

"But I love you so I guess I can let you stab me with a needle," Jane sighed dramatically, winking at Maura before turning back to her new doctor. "So, I guess it's time to slap on some gloves and hop on the table, huh?"

* * *

"They made us do a freaking trust fall."

"Pardon?" Maura asked, laughing at the frustrated tone of voice her girlfriend greeted her with.

"A freaking trust fall," Jane whined as she sat down in the cafeteria of the lodge she and her team building mates were staying in for the weekend. "That dumb facilitator lady said that since yesterday we did "so well" on the obstacle courses where I was teamed up with Crowe and Frost was with Martinez and we seemed to be getting along as we shared dumb academy stories around the dumb campfire, we should have no problem at all doing the trust fall."

"And was there a problem?" Maura asked, slipping under the covers of their suddenly too large bed.

"I mean, Martinez just happened to catch me by grabbing my ass, but he insists that was on accident," Jane said. "But other than that, none of us have died yet."

"I'm glad," Maura smiled. "I am very much looking forward to you coming home tomorrow night."

"Tell me about it," Jane sighed. "Being away from you for three days is quickly becoming my least favorite thing on the planet."

"The bed is so much lonelier without you in it," Maura admitted as she pulled Jane's pillow into her arms.

"Yo Rizzoli! You know the rule! Cell phones get locked away at 10pm sharp!" Crowe called into the cafeteria.

"And that means I got five more minutes, so can it!" Jane hollered back.

"You and the doc better wrap up your freaky phone sex in that five minutes cuz I ain't gonna keep my dinner down if I have to hear you two goin' at it!" he bellowed.

"Fuck you!"

"Language, Jane," came Maura's voice.

"Sorry," Jane said, her voice softening as she returned to speaking to Maura. "They just...They know how to toe the line between being blatantly offensive and playful teasing so it's impossible to do anything but deal with their shit."

"I can only imagine how tough it must be," Maura mused. "Is there anything I can do to make it better?"

"Other than magically get down here and snuggle with me for the night, nah," Jane shrugged. "I mean, we've been getting along and we actually did get to air some grievances about why our units don't always get along the best. I think I can handle one more day."

"Would a photo of what's waiting for you at home help in easing your urge to kill everyone except Detective Frost?" Maura asked, her voice low and teasing.

"Depends," Jane said as she looked around to ensure no one was within ear shot. "Are you wearing that matching purple set I love so much?"

"Who say's I'm wearing anything?" Maura cooed. "I'm going to hang up now so I can send you those photographs before your 10pm cell phone cut off. I love you, and I miss you, and can't wait to see you tomorrow."

"I love you, too," Jane said before hearing the distinct click of the line disconnecting.

She anxiously waited at the cafeteria table, watching at the clock moved closer and closer to 10pm, and nearly jumping when her phone began to buzz with the arrival of new messages. Taking a deep breath, Jane opened her conversation with Maura and felt all blood rush south.

Maura laying on her side, blonde hair mussed and a smirk on her face as a hint of cleavage was on displayed.

One of Maura's breasts held up by Maura's hand, lifted just high enough for the blonde's tongue to reach out and trace her hardened nipple.

An image of Maura taken just above her breasts, displayed her bare torso with a perfectly manicured hand between her legs.

Two of Maura's fingers resting between her parted lips, arousal evident on both the fingers and her lips.

"Shit," Jane breathed as she attempted to type up a response, her attempt thwarted when the team building leader of the lodge came into the cafeteria to collect her cellphone and keep it away until the next day when the participants were allowed to check their phones again.

"Everything alright, detective?" the chipper woman smiled.

"Yeah," Jane stammered as she rose to her feet. "I'm just gonna shower and then hit the sack. Been a long day."

"Sweet dreams!" the woman smiled.

"Yeah, more like wet dreams," Jane mumbled to herself as she ignored the other detectives and officers she passed on her way to her bunk, grabbing her shower supplies and making a beeline for the shower.

It was thanks only to the bench installed in the handicapped accessible shower stall that Jane was able to quickly and efficiently pull Maura's photos into her mind and bring her own hand down between her legs, coming quickly and quietly without fear of slipping.

And it was thanks only to Maura's photos that Jane was able to come quickly and quietly a second time, her girlfriend's risque photos filling her mind for just a little bit longer.

* * *

Once again thanks to her girlfriend's teasing photos, Jane found herself in the midst of an incredibly pleasant dream filled with her, Maura, and a camera that continued to take photos of the two of them in various states of undress and coitus.

She heard a voice calling her name, but the detective simply rolled over in her sleep and tugged the spare pillow she had acquired closer to her.

"Rizzoli!" the voice called again, this time accompanied by a shake to her shoulders. "Rizzoli, get your ass up!" the voice hissed.

"Go 'way, Crowe," Jane groaned as the familiar voice began to pull her from her pleasant dream. "S' not breakfast time, so fuck off."

"Jane," came Frost's voice, a hint of worry in the usually calm demeanor. "Jane, this is important."

"What?" Jane groaned as she sat up suddenly, wiping sleep from her eyes to look at the two men at the foot of her bed. "It's…" she trailed off, squinting at her watch, "just after 4 in the damn morning. You two better have a good reason for waking me up."

"The team building expert just came in here. Apparently one of the phones she took from us has been ringing off the hook and she came in here to have us unlock it and shut the volume off. She was getting real sick of hearing the 'Cops' theme song over and over."

"Well, that isn't my ringtone so go bug the others," Jane groaned.

"Jane," Frost said, nudging Crowe over to get into Jane's eyesight. "That's the ringtone for the emergency cell the Brass gave us that was only to be called in emergency situations. And the voicemail that was on that phone is from Frankie."

Hearing that her brother had called the phone only used for emergencies, Jane yanked the covers off her body and pulled her hair into a ponytail as she slipped into her boots.

"I already dialed Frankie's number and all you gotta do is hit send," Crowe said as he handed Jane the emergency cell phone.

Nodding at the man, Jane held the phone to her ear with her shoulder and began to toss all her bedding and other items into her duffel bag as she waiting for her brother to pick up.

"Janie?"

"Frankie, yeah, it's me," Jane said as she zipped the duffel and made her way to the hallway to avoid disturbing any others. "Crowe and Frost said you'd been calling non stop."

"Yeah, look," Frankie began, "I got the address of that team building lodge you're at and I've got Cav's permission to come get you so you better have your ass out front and ready to hop into the car in, like, 5 minutes."

"I'm still in my pajamas but I shoved everything into my bag while I was waiting for you to pick up," Jane said as she sat down on a nearby bench to zip up her boots. "What's wrong? Is it Ma? Tommy? TJ?"

"No," Frankie said, speeding into the entrance of the lodge and honking his horn to let Jane know he was there. "It's Maura."

The phone fell from Jane's ear and clattered to the floor as Jane's eyes widened and she felt her body freeze.

"Come on, Rizzoli," Crowe said as he grabbed Jane's duffle and held his hand out to Jane, a single detachable police light resting in the palm of his hand. "I gotta give Frankie shit about making sure I get this back, but I think you two need this more than I do right now."

Frankie's horn honking a second time snapped Jane out of her trance and she began to run down the stairs of the lodge, Crowe hot on her heels as he threw her duffle into the backseat and handed Frankie the plug end of the light, the blue flashing light attaching to the top of Frankie's car once the younger Rizzoli plugged it into the cigarette lighter.

As Frankie peeled out of the parking lot and quickly merged onto the highway, Jane turned to her younger brother and managed to say just one word.

"Maura?"

* * *

**I love cliffhangers. Don't you?**

**Reviews are lovely, and I promise the next update will be within the next day or two!**


	40. Chapter 40

**Well, I guess I was wrong about ya'll liking cliffhangers. Huh. Who woulda thunk?**

**This is shorter than I'd like, but it's something!**

* * *

"Well, yes it's Maura but no it isn't Maura," Frankie said as he glanced at his sister, eyes darting back to the night time road to get them back to the city as fast as possible.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jane asked, her worry masking itself with anger.

"Other than having an emotional breakdown in Ma's arms, Maura is safe and she's not hurt or any of the other million things you think are happening," Frankie reassured his sister.

"But why did Cav give you permission to call me in the middle of the night when I'm supposed to be doing that ridiculous team bonding shit if she's not hurt? And what do you mean she had a breakdown in Ma's arms?" Jane asked, her eyebrows furrowing as she attempting to piece together what little she knew.

"Maura got a call around two in the morning saying that her father slipped on a patch of ice on his way to a morning lecture he was about to give," Frankie explained. "Apparently he was rushed into surgery and it's kinda touch and go if he's gonna make it. Ma was up using the bathroom when she saw all the lights turning on in the main house and when she went to see if everything was okay, Maura just kinda ran to her and started sobbing."

"Is Ma still with her? I dunno if I tossed my cell into my bag or left it at the lodge, but you gotta gimme your phone to call Maura," Jane demanded, her heart breaking at the thought of her girlfriend losing her father so soon after they began to grow close.

"You could try calling her, but I'm pretty sure she's about a quarter of the way across the Atlantic Ocean at the moment," Frankie said. "She pulled some strings and got a family friend to loan out their private jet to get her to Paris as soon as possible since the Isle jet would need to leave from Paris, get there, then take her back."

"Okay, well then I need your cell phone to call Logan Airport and see when their next flight out to Paris is," Jane stated with her hand held out expectantly.

"Constance already called Ma and made arrangements for another family friend of theirs to have a plane waiting for you at Logan to get you to Paris," Frankie smiled, taking a hand off the wheel to squeeze Jane's hand encouragingly. "We're gonna stop at your place to get you anything you're gonna need for an impromptu trip to Paris and then I'll drive you right up to the plane."

"Frankie," was all Jane could say, relief washing over her with the fact Maura was okay and with relief at how quickly her family pulled together for she and Maura.

"She's okay, Janie," Frankie reassured his sister, taking the exit closest to Beacon Hill and pausing at a stop sign, even though the light atop his car still flashed. "She's okay, and you're gonna be with her as soon as possible."

* * *

As soon as the wheels of Frankie's car came to a stop, Jane was out of the car and jogging up to enter she and Maura's house, tossing a greeting to her mother who was sitting with Jo before darting up the stairs to begin packing clothes haphazardly.

"Hey, Ma?" Jane called out as she moved to their shared en suite bathroom to pack both she and Maura's preferred toiletries.

"Right here, sweetheart," Angela smiled as she walked into the room to greet her daughter.

"Can you be on Jo and Bass duty while we're gone?" Jane asked. "You know Jo gets a cup of food in the morning and night time, and Bass usually only eats every other day. There are hibiscus leaves and strawberries in the bottom drawer of the fridge-"

"And be sure not to let him eat too much or he'll get sick, and if I see any blueberries in the fridge I can add some of those to his strawberries," Angela finished, reaching a hand out to Jane's shoulder, meeting her daughter's eyes in the large mirror. "I'll take care of them just like I took care of you and your brothers for your entire lives."

"Not sure if that's comforting or not," Jane said with a slight smile to her mother. "But thank you. I really hope Richard makes it out of the surgery okay and we're back soon, but you know I'll contact you with as many updates as I can."

"There's no need," Angela smiled as she squeezed Jane's shoulder. "You focus on Maura, and on her father, and Constance, and on being there for them during what is going to be a difficult time no matter what the outcome is. We can manage with just a few e-mail updates here and there."

"Thank you," Jane replied, her voice cracking. "I know I told you I'd give you a bit more notice before I did this but do you have-"

"I have it," Angela interrupted as she pulled a slim velvet box from her robe pocket, opening it to reveal the engagement ring Jane had created, popping up from the slim and discreet box as though it were a pop up book. "The minute Constance called to arrange for you to go to Paris, I pulled it from where it was hiding in the guest house."

"I owe you," Jane smiled as she turned around to hug her mother tightly. "I'll let you know when I land, yeah?" she continued as she tucked the ring into a secure pocket of her large duffle bag and zipped the entire thing up.

"You better," Angela warned as she kissed her daughter's cheek. "And you better let me know when she says yes!"

* * *

Maura sat at her father's bedside, still clad in the yoga pants and Red Sox hoodie she had thrown on upon hearing the news of her father's injury, both of her hands clasping her father's as the room was filled with only the sounds of medical equipment humming and the steady beeping of his heart monitor.

"Bonjour, Doctor Isles," a stout man in a lab coat far too pristine for Maura's liking greeted.

"Bonjour," Maura replied, taking her eyes off her father for just a moment to smile weakly at the man before turning her attention back to her father and the large bandage wrapping around his head.

"I ran into your mother on the way here, and she was just wrapping up a phone call so as soon as she joins us I'll give you a bit more information about your father's prognosis," the man explained in a thick accent.

"I'm right here," Constance announced, her eyes puffy as she took the seat next to Maura and smiled at her daughter as Maura removed one of her hands from her father's hand to clasp Constance's.

"Very well," the man said as he pulled a stool from the corner to sit down. "When Mr. Isles fell, a few things happened. First, a nasty cut near the top of his forehead which we managed to stitch up without a problem. Second, he experienced a brain hemorrhage, which as I'm sure you know Dr. Isles, is just a fancy way of saying there was bleeding in his brain."

"Yes," Maura confirmed, fighting back tears as she looked to her father's unmoving form.

"We performed a procedure that was able to stop the bleeding, and now we're simply keeping him sedated and on a steady stream of medications to help lower the pressure that was building up due to the bleeding in his brain."

"So you're the ones keeping him unconscious?" Constance asked.

"Yes," the man confirmed. "If it was just the cut we were dealing with, we would have let the anesthesia from the surgery wear off and allow him to wake naturally. But we plan to keep him medically sedated until tomorrow, at which point we'll reassess the brain swelling to see if he is able to be taken off the sedatives and allowed to wake without worry that he will face any negative consequences."

"I'd like a copy of any and all records from the time he was admitted until the time he leaves, if at all possible," Maura stated.

"I've already discussed that with my team and we've all agreed that every evening you'll get a full report of the day's events, any concerns, and our plans for continuing treatment," the French doctor smiled.

"Merci," Maura replied.

"I'll leave you two for the time being, but please don't hesitate to reach out to me or any of my nurses should you need anything at all," he smiled. "I'll arrange for two cots and some extra bedding be brought in here for you both," he added before nodding at the women and departing the room.

"You should go back to the flat," Maura murmured as she brought her exhausted eyes to meet her mother's. "The cots will hardly be comfortable and it's not a very far drive from the flat to here. Plus someone should begin informing the family of what has happened."

"And what about you, ma cherie?" Constance smiled. "You were woken in the middle of the night and I'm willing to bet you didn't sleep a wink on the plane ride here or the car ride from the airport."

"Murderers tend to have me working odd hours," Maura said sadly. "I'm far more used to being woken at absurd hours than you. And besides, you've been spending the past several weeks with father all to yourself. It's time he and I have some time together."

Before Constance could reply, the phone in the hospital room rang shrilly and Constance was quick to answer it.

"She made good time," Constance smiled into the phone, the familiar voice of the nurse at the reception desk on the other end of the phone. "Yes, you may show her to our room. If her bag cleared the first floor security, I see no reason she should not be able to bring it in with her. Oui, merci."

Maura looked to her mother with furrowed eyebrows and a questioning glance, but had no time to form her question into words before the room to their room opened and the familiar scent of lavender fabric softener wafted towards her.

"Jane?" Maura asked, her father's hand slipping from her own as she stood up to turn and look at the jetlagged detective, wearing her flannel pajama pants and Boston PD sweatshirt. "What are you...How are you here?" she breathed, taking a small step forward, still unsure if her mind was seeing what was truly there.

"Does it really matter how?" Jane smiled as she dropped her duffle bag to the floor and grinned at Maura.

"No," Maura said, fresh tears spilling from her eyes as she quickly crossed the distance between she and Jane, her arms clinging to the detective as she allowed emotion to wash over her.

"Shh," Jane soothed as she rubbing soothing circles over Maura's back. "I'm here, Maura. I'm here."

* * *

**Did I make up the cliffhanger for ya'll? :-)**


	41. Chapter 41

**I'm glad I made up for my cliffhanger with the last chapter! I promised you all fluff, but that doesn't mean the fluff will come in ways you'd expect. Gotta keep things interesting.**

**For the reviewer who reviewed as a Fan but without a username, I touch base in this chapter about Maura seeming out of character by leaving for Paris without even thinking of Jane and such. Please do let me know your thoughts.**

**And now on with the show!**

* * *

"I can't believe you're here," Maura murmured as she continued to hug Jane tightly, feeling the tension in her body lessen while being held in Jane's arms.

"I coulda sworn that at some point I promised you I'd always be there for you," Jane smiled, pressing a few quick kisses to Maura's hair. "A little bit late, but here."

"You're amazing," Maura whispered.

"Thanks," Jane replied, lifting her head to look up at Constance who was watching the two women with a smile on her face. "Hey," she greeted the elder Isles.

"Welcome to Paris," Constance smiled. "I wish it was under better circumstances, though," she mused.

"Oh," Maura said as she pulled herself away from Jane and gestured for the two women to share an embrace.

Stepping forward, Constance gave Jane a firm but short hug to Jane, whispering her gratitude to the detective as she did so.

"How's he doing?" Jane asked as she returned to Maura's side, wrapping her arm around the blonde's shoulders and holding her close as the three women turned to face Richard's bed.

"A cut on his forehead that required eight stitches, bleeding in his brain that the surgeons managed to stop, though there is still swelling and excess pressure in his brain that requires him to remain sedated," Maura recounted as she wrapped her arm around Jane's waist. "They may be able to wean him off the sedatives tomorrow and allow him to begin waking up, granted the swelling looks better."

"Is there anything at all that I can do?" Jane asked hesitantly.

"Yes," Constance said before Maura could give a reply of her own. "Take Maura back to our flat and ensure she gets some rest. We keep the guest suite prepared and she hasn't slept since I woke her in the middle of the night with the news of Richard's fall."

"Mother," Maura tried to protest. "Really, I'll be fine."

"Hives," Jane whispered in Maura's ear.

"You've already heard the most recent update from the doctor, and you know that I'll call you the moment I hear of any changes to your father's health," Constance countered gently, moving to cup her daughter's face gently in her hands. "Take care of yourself, my dear. I don't need two people that I love in the hospital."

Nodding her head, Maura gave her mother a soft smile and left Jane's embrace to hug her.

"You'll call the moment you hear of any updates?"

"I promise," Constance smiled. "Now let me call the car to come pick you two up."

* * *

"I'm sorry I left for Paris without waiting for you, or even making any attempts to contact you," Maura said softly as she sat on the edge of the guest suite bed while Jane unpacked the clothes she had tossed into her duffel.

"Say what now?" Jane asked, looking up from the dresser to watch Maura stare down at the carpet.

"I left Boston without even thinking that I should let you know I was leaving, and it was my mother who arranged your transport here," Maura said. "It wasn't until I was halfway over the Atlantic that I even remembered you were team building and not just working late at the station where news would reach you quickly."

"Maur," Jane soothed as she quickly stopped unpacking and moved to crouch down in front of the blonde, taking the doctor's hands in her own. "You got a phone call that your father was in the hospital and your mother didn't know if he was gonna make it. I take no offence that you didn't think about me."

"Still," Maura tried to counter. "I'm sorry."

"Hogwash," Jane said with a grin. "One of the best parts of having a ridiculously giant and slightly meddlesome Italian family is that they'll band together in .2 nanoseconds to do whatever needs to be done for those they love."

"I was bawling in your mother's arms," Maura said with a slight chuckle. "Before she told me she would tell Lieutenant Cavanaugh to give Frankie the emergency number to call you and demand you be released from your weekend of bonding. Then she shooed me out the door."

"Sounds like Ma," Jane chuckled as she squeezed Maura's hands.

"I'm so methodical, and think through everything I do while examining my actions from multiple angles, but when I heard the news…" Maura trailed off. "It was like a light switch and I went from one extreme to the other."

"I'd say kinda like when I shot myself, but I'm never really all that methodical and I'm actually kinda impulsive, so that's a bad comparison," Jane said.

"A terrible one," Maura noted as she felt tears welling in her eyes. "I've always known that every single person has those few things that will make them lose any sense of rational thought but…" she trailed off.

"You never had the chance to realize that your father was one of those things for you," Jane suggested. "You were never as close to him as you are now, and so you never knew how scary it'd be to lose him."

"I can't lose him," Maura said, her voice cracking as tears slipped from her eyes.

"Oh, sweetheart," Jane said as she quickly moved from kneeling in front of Maura to sitting next to her and opening her arms to allow the doctor to enter them. "You're not gonna lose him. We're gonna pass out for the rest of today and all night, then take a long shower together tomorrow morning, and we'll go back for more updates. But I promise you, Maura. You're not gonna lose him."

Maura simply nodded and lowered herself down into a position in which she could lie down and, with the assistance of Jane's long limbs, scoot up the bed to lay curled up with the detective.

"I made sure to pack a few pairs of pajamas for us each," Jane said after a few moments. "So whaddya say we get out of the clothes we've both been in for too long and get some sleep?"

Maura once again simply nodded.

"I also made sure I threw in those pairs of jeans I know you'll deny ever owning," Jane said with a chuckle. "So, although I'm sure we're going to do this anyways, you don't have an immediate need to go shopping in Paris."

* * *

"Forgive me if this sounds rude, but you two look so much better than yesterday," Constance smiled as the two women walked into Richard's hospital room the next morning, clad in jeans and sweaters that Jane had packed for them.

"I'd feel insulted if you didn't say that," Jane joked as she handed Constance the extra coffee she and Maura had picked up for her.

"Any updates on father?" Maura asked, wasting no time as her eyes searched her father's bedside for where his chart was.

"The doctor just came by to collect a missing signature from the nurse from last night," Constance stated. "I do believe he was going to grab something to drink from the cafeteria while we waited for your arrival, if you would like to find him and get all the information possible."

"Would you mind?" Maura asked, looking between her mother and Jane.

"Nope," Jane said, kissing her girlfriend's cheek. "Go do your doctor stuff and help translate for us common-folk."

"What she said," Constance winked as Maura looked to her before slipping out of the hospital room. Turning to Jane, Constance took a sip of the coffee before speaking. "How was the-"

"I'm going to ask Maura to marry me," Jane blurted. Eyes widening at her outburst, Jane averted her eyes away from Constance. "That didn't come out right, and I had planned to be a heck of a lot less awkward about this."

"It's charming," Constance chuckled. "Do you have a time frame in which you hope to ask her?"

"If the circumstances are right, I'd like to ask her while we're here," Jane stated. "And I know that's not a lot of notice at all, but I think it would just be so great to ask her while we're here, ya know? City of love and lights and all," Jane rambled as she dug into her inner coat pocket to pull out the slim box and hand it to Constance. "Especially if Richard wakes up, then it'll definitely happen while we're here," she added while handing the box to Constance.

"It's a stunning ring, Jane," Constance praised as she looked at the shimmering ring. "It will look gorgeous on our Maura."

"So, uh, I have your blessing and all?"

"I think the person you're supposed to be asking is Richard," Constance smiled as she handed the ring back to Jane.

"Right," Jane said, sitting in the chair next to Richard's bedside."Hey, Richard. Jane Rizzoli here. I think I'll save the speech for when you're awake and all, but I really, really, really need you to wake up so I can ask you a really, really, really important question. It's a question that's gonna change my life in the best ways and I would like to ask you this life changing question. So, if you could do me a solid and wake up sometime soon-today preferably-that'd be very much appreciated. Thanks."

"He'll say yes," Constance reassured the detective. "He's quite fond of you, and wears the hat you bought him nearly every day. I know you'll still ask him when he wakes, and you'll worry until you hear him say yes, but do know that he will give you and our daughter every bit of blessing he can for your marriage."

"Thanks," Jane said as she turned to smile up at Constance, sliding the ring box back into her pocket just as a smiling Maura came into the room with the doctor just behind her.

"They have to do another scan but he thinks they'll be weaning him off the sedatives this afternoon and he'll be awake by the evening," Maura beamed as she smiled brightly at her mother.

"Is that correct?" Constance asked, waiting to hear confirmation from her husband's doctor before allowing relief to enter her body.

"Yes, ma'am," the doctor smiled. "He made vast improvements over night and, if I can convince some folks to let us maneuver the schedule, we may even be able to perform the scan earlier and, thus, begin weaning him off the sedatives earlier."

"Oh, thank Heavens," Constance breathed as she pulled her daughter into a hug and held her tightly.

"He's going to be okay," Maura smiled as she embraced her mother tightly, smiling as she felt her mother's lips press a gentle kiss to the side of her head.

* * *

"And if you think Richard Isles is even the slightest bit imposing of a man now, you should have seen him on our first date!" Constance laughed as she sat on the plush arm chair in Richard's private room, the two other women sitting on a small couch that had pulled out to act as Constance's bed overnight. "He was the most uncoordinated person on that ice rink. To this day I never understood why he took me ice skating when it was clear balance was not his forte."

"Did they have those little pole things that look like walkers to help little kids keep their balance?" Jane laughed as she sipped on a cup of coffee, Maura nestled against her side with her own cup of tea between her hands.

"I tried to convince him to use one but he was far too stubborn," Constance smiled. "His pride just was too much."

"Oh, man. I would love to see Richard Isles using one of those things to keep himself up while ice skating."

"Don't act like you wouldn't need one, too," Maura teased as she nudged Jane playfully. It was late afternoon and the doctor had stopped the addition of sedatives to her father's IV and all three women had been anxiously waiting for his eyes to open.

"Hey!" Jane gasped, turning to look at Maura with her mouth open in shock. "I did just fine that night we went skating with my family! Tommy was the only Rizzoli to fall, and that's even with you skating directly into me like a crash test dummy!"

"But that wasn't your first date," Constance said with a teasing smile. "If you were experiencing first date nerves such as Richard was on that date, I would have to agree with Maura that you would require some assistance."

"Okay, I did not sit in a giant metal tube thousands of feet above the ocean just to be ganged up on," Jane huffed as she tried to keep her face straight. "I was just innocently sitting here listening to embarrassing stories about Richard and you two had to gang up on me. Rude."

Maura and her mother simply exchange smirks with each other before all three women began to laugh freely at each other, Jane's arm wrapping around Maura's shoulder to tug her impossibly closer as the evening Paris sun filtered into the hospital room.

"Somebody please tell me I haven't died and that the angelic laughter I hear is really the angelic laughter of my three girls."

"Richard!" Constance gasped, quickly rising from the chair to stand at her husband's bedside, Maura quickly standing next to her to watch as her father's eyes opened and he gave a weak smile up at the two women. "Oh, Richard," Constance murmured as she reached a hand out to brush the dimple so similar to Maura's, cautious of the stark white bandages wrapped around his head.

"I only see two of my girls. Does that mean I really have died?" the man asked, leaning into his wife's touch.

"No," Maura smiled, her voice wavering as she quickly turned to beckon Jane over to them, clasping the detective's hand tightly. "You're very much alive, and your three girls are very, very glad to see that."

"And I'm very glad to hear that," Richard smiled, his eyelids drooping.

"I'll go look for the doctor," Jane offered, giving Maura's hand a quick squeeze before letting go.

"No," Richard said, lifting his hand weakly as if to brush off Jane's plan. "Stay. My three girls includes you, Jane. Just call the doctors in with the call button."

"You sure?" Jane asked, looking between the three Isles family members.

"Absolutely," Constance smiled gently. "Stay."

* * *

**Next chapter is already in the works! My birthday is Friday so send me reviews for presents. hah.**


	42. Chapter 42

**To those who say Maura and Jane are out of character here: I would apologize, but I'm quite fond of the version of these two women I've crafted. I hope you continue to read, and leave constructive feedback in the future.**

**Onwards and upwards!**

* * *

As requested, Jane remained with the Isles family as the hospital room bean to have various people filter in and out for the remainder of the evening. Surgeons, nurses, doctors, specialists, and more all came in to speak to the family. She often kept out of the way, watching as Constance and Maura remained at his side. Maura only left once she was sure each doctor was finished with their explanation to come to Jane's side and explain what the doctors had said, receiving a gentle kiss before returning to her father's side.

"I think they're done circling me like vultures for the day," Richard sighed as he took a sip from the water cup Constance brought to his lips.

"I do believe they are," Constance smiled. "How are you feeling?"

"Bit of a headache, but I suppose I'll be having one of those for a while," he answered.

"Can you reach the morphine pump?" Maura asked, scanning the covers on the bed for the small button that would ease her father's pain.

"I can, but I don't want to just yet," Richard admitted. "I want to hear how you and Jane are enjoying Paris. A bit of an impromptu trip, eh?"

"WIth all due respect, I really would appreciate a simple phone call the next time you want us to make an impromptu trip," Jane quipped as she sat down on the couch Maura had pushed to be closer to her father once the doctors left.

"Cheers to that idea," Richard said, slowly moving his head to watch his daughter lean into Jane's side and rest her head on Jane's shoulder. "The doctors told me I wasn't out of it very long, so I'm going to guess you two haven't had the chance to do any sightseeing?"

"Didn't have the desire to," Jane stated. "We both came right to the hospital as soon as we each got word you were hurt, and the only time we left was at your wife's insistence that I take Maura home to sleep."

"And did you get any sleep?" Richard asked, moving his eyes to look towards his wife.

"The couch here pulls out to a surprisingly comfortable bed," she smiled. "We may have to call the neurologist back in here if you think I would leave your side for more than a few moments."

"No need," Richard chuckled. "No fall from any height would ever be able to cause me to forget how stubborn my wife can be."

"She and Maura have that in common," Jane piped in with a smile. "Hey, I mean that in a good way!" Jane quickly defended when both Isles women turned to look at her.

"Oh, Jane," Richard chuckled. "I'm glad you're here."

"I'm glad to be here."

"And you'll be even more glad when you get out of this hospital and let Maura show you around the city," Richard said. "As long as you don't slip, Paris is absolutely beautiful in winter. The Eiffel Tower may even be open for a ride to the top to see the city lit up and twinkling with fresh snow."

Jane turned to Maura who was looking at her father with sad eyes.

"Father, you just awoke from what could have been something you never woke up from. I'd prefer to spend time with you," she admitted softly.

"Yes, we almost lost out on the time we promised each other we had over the recent holidays," Richard admitted as he reached his hand out to Maura. "But this headache truly is painful and I'm most likely going to hit that morphine pump shortly. And then you'll be sitting in this room listening to your old man snoring. And your mother's snores, as well."

"He's right," Constance noted. "I imagine you may not be able to stay here for any significant period of time given the abrupt notice, so a bit of sightseeing in between interrogating the doctors here will be good for you both."

"Jane?" Maura asked, turning to look at the brunette beside her.

"If you're okay with a little bit of romantic wine and dining, I am, too."

"Okay," Maura smiled. "But we'll expect a call from mother, or a text, before she falls asleep with any updates."

"You have our word," Richard smiled. "No go be young and in love in the city of love!"

With a kiss to both of her parents, and a hug from Jane to both Isles, the two women left the hotel room with plans to change into warmer clothes while the Isles butler worked to make their dinner reservations.

"Shoot!" Jane said when they reached the elevator. "I forgot my coat in the room. Meet you in the lobby?"

"Of course," Maura replied. "I'll ensure Pierre is aware we'll need his help with dinner reservations," she noted as the elevator arrived and Jane turned to return to Richard's room.

"I told you she'd be back," Constance smiled when Jane returned.

"Yes, but you didn't tell me why," Richard huffed in mock annoyance.

"I don't have much time, cuz Maura thinks I'm just grabbing my coat, but I am so in love with your daughter and I know we haven't don't things the traditional way but I wanted to at least do this," she said as she pulled the ring out of its box to place in Richard's hand.

"It will be the most blessed, joyful marriage," Richard said as he looked up to Jane.

"Okay, I know that was your way of giving your blessing but can I please actually ask the question or else everything is just gonna feel wonky."

"We'd hate for that to happen," Richard laughed as he handed the ring back to Jane and looked at her expectantly.

"I love Maura with all that I have, and I want very few things more than to have your blessing to ask her to spend the rest of our lives together."

"Yes."

* * *

"We should probably call your mother when we return to the flat," Maura mused as she and Jane stood huddled next to each other overlooking the city, a glass of champagne in each of their hands.

"Probably," Jane replied, her free arm tightening its hold around Maura's waist. "She'll be happy to know your father is okay."

"And she'll probably have Sean over, which means we'll be able to determine how long we'll be able to stay in Paris before we're needed back in Boston," Maura teased.

"Come on," Jane whined. "Did you really have to go there? Mentioning Ma and Cav doing...Nope, not even gonna finish that sentence."

"I've learned my humor from the best," Maura smiled as she turned to place a kiss to Jane's cheek, replacing the detective's scowl with a smile. "And just think. After we call her to give her the good news, we'll have the flat entirely to ourselves to do...Well, I think you can finish that sentence."

"Oh, I can think of many ways to finish that sentence," Jane grinned as she set her glass of champagne down on a nearby table and moved to stand in front of Maura, placing the blonde's glass next to her's. "And all of them should never, ever be said in public."

"But it's doubtful that very many of the few people with us on this rooftop would be able to understand English, so you could tell me all of the ways you'd like to end that sentence," Maura noted as she pressed she and Jane's torsos together and slid her gloved hands into the back pocket of Jane's dark denim jeans.

"Are you trying to seduce me, Dr. Isles?"

"I'm fairly certain that I've had you seduced for quite some time now, Detective."

"I would respond to that, but there's a creepy old dude staring at us and is really killing the mood."

Looking to her left, Maura couldn't help but laugh at the old man who was indeed staring at the two lovers with a look of intrigue on his face.

"I love you," she laughed as she turned to look back up at Jane's face. In her winter boots the height difference was more noticeable, and she secretly enjoyed the way their bodies fit together. When winter coats and scarves weren't in the way, she could rest her ear just above Jane's heart and find peace in the steady beating.

"I love you, too," Jane smiled as she tried to subtly turn she and Maura so they were away from the prying eyes of the man.

"You have absolutely changed this entire situation for me and I am so thankful for that," Maura admitted, locking eyes with Jane. "I would have been living at that hospital had you not been here, alternating between crying, refusing to sleep, and berating myself for not rekindling the relationship with my parents sooner. But instead I've listened to my mother tell stories of their years together, slept soundly, and have laughed more than I've cried."

"Well, you have absolutely changed my life so I think that I win."

"I wasn't aware this was a competition," Maura noted.

"I can turn anything into a competition," Jane smiled, though her eyebrows furrowed after a moment.

"Are you okay?" Maura asked, noting the flash of pain that crossed Jane's face.

"My gloves aren't exactly the warmest pair," Jane admitted.

"Take them off."

"Okay, I'm pretty sure that's something you're supposed to be saying to me later tonight and about other articles of clothing."

"You're insatiable," Maura sighed. "If you take off your gloves, you can slip them into my coat pocket with mine and the shared body heat will help ease the pain."

"Okay, smartypants," Jane grinned as she tugged the thin cotton gloves off and slipped her hands into Maura's pockets, the doctor's gloves resting in the pockets so they could share body heat.

"Better?" Maura asked as she laced her fingers with Jane's.

"Touching you makes everything better."

"Alright, who are you and what have you done to the real and embarrassed to talk about sex Jane Rizzoli?"

"Hardy har har."

Both women maintained sparkling eye contact as they smiled widely at each other before Maura pulled one hand free from her pocket to cup Jane's chilly and rosy cheek.

"You really have changed more than just this trip," Maura said, her thumb caressing Jane's cheek. "You've changed my life, Jane. In ways I never thought possible, and in ways I never dreamed would actually come true, you've changed my life. I never want to imagine where my life would be had you not come into it, and I never want to imagine a future without you in it."

"You'll never have to," Jane promised.

"I know," Maura smiled, resting her head on Jane's shoulder with her nose nuzzled into the lavender fabric softener scented scarf the detective wore. Jane smiled as she felt Maura's chest rise with a deep inhalation of the lavender scent, and her eyes widened as she felt the hand she still clasped with Maura's in the doctor's pocket separate from her own and felt a smooth band slip onto her finger.

"Maura?" Jane whispered.

"Marry me."

"What?"

Lifting her head from the comforting scent of lavender, Maura pulled she and Jane's hands from her coat pocket and lifted Jane's left hand to rest above her heart so the detective could see the platinum band sparkling in the lights of the Eiffel Tower and feel the heart racing beneath it.

"Platinum is among the strongest metals, just as my love for you is the strongest thing I have ever felt," Maura said, her voice thick with emotions. "The diamonds are set into the band because part of you will always be inside of me, locked away in my heart never to leave. The rubies give the ring a unique sparkle, much like the unique spark you have brought into my life. And because of, well, the Red Sox."

"It's gorgeous," Jane breathed as she lifted her gaze from the ring to meet Maura's hopeful eyes.

"So is that a yes?" Maura asked. "You'll wear this ring for as long as time allows, and continue to change my life in the most incredible of ways by agreeing to marry me?"

"Yes," Jane replied, her face breaking into a full grin as she laughed at the relief that washed over Maura's face. "Yes, yes, yes," she repeated, taking the doctor's face in her hands and kissing her deeply.

"I told you I'd win the race and propose first," Maura laughed when their lips parted, though they kept their foreheads pressed gently together.

"Well, to soothe my sore ego, you only won by about 5 minutes," Jane noted.

"But I still-wait, what?"

"You are by far the most amazing, beautiful, compassionate, and phenomenal person I have ever met and I was hoping to take your breath away just like you take mine away every day by getting into the elevator back down, getting down on one knee, and asking you to spend the rest of our lives together," Jane smiled as she pulled the ring box from the breast pocket of her coat and flipped it open to present Maura with the white opal based ring, the diamond filled woven bands glittering just as Jane's ring had only moments ago.

Maura felt a lump rising in her throat as she listened to Jane speak and took in the details of the ring she was holding in between their bodies.

"Well?" Jane asked, wiggling the ring box slightly. "You may have beaten me to the proposal, but an answer would still be appreciated."

"There is no one I would rather spend the rest of my life with," Maura replied, throwing her arms around Jane's neck as soon as the ring was slipped onto her finger. "You said yes," she murmured.

"You said yes," Jane repeated, easily lifting the blonde into her arms and feeling the doctor's legs wrap around her waist. "So," Jane said when Maura pulled away from nuzzling into her neck to lock eyes with Jane. "Whaddya say we head back to the flat and act out all those different ways I said we could finish that sentence earlier?"

"Only one thing in the world sounds better than that," Maura grinned.

"Yeah?" Jane asked. "And what would that be?"

"The names Jane and Maura Rizzoli-Isles."

* * *

**Ah-ha! I fooled ya'll into thinking Jane would win the race, but Maura won! I promise sexy-times in the next chapter, plus a flashback scene of Maura asking Angela for permission to marry Jane if ya'll request it!**


	43. Chapter 43

**I'm sorry about the wait between chapters. I've been having a rather tough time with life lately and haven't really had much motivation to write. Or do anything related to living.**

* * *

"We should call your mother."

"Mmm, I'm sure Constance has already called her to tell her the good news," Jane murmured, her teeth still nipping at Maura's pulse point.

"Jane," Maura laughed, tangling her hands in Jane's curls and pulling the detective's face to meet her's. "If we Skype with your mother now, then we won't have to endure her endless calls later while we are otherwise...occupied."

"Good idea," Jane noted before kissing Maura once more. "I still can't believe you beat me to the proposal."

"I told you I would," Maura smiled. "Now go set up my laptop while I text your mother telling her to log onto Skype," she commanded with a playful swat to Jane's backside.

With a quick salute, Jane made her way to the guest room to log onto Maura's laptop and pull open Skype, tugging Maura flush against her when the blonde returned before hitting the call button.

"Well?" Angela asked, sitting close to the screen as she giddily bounced up and down on the guest room couch.

"Wellll," Jane drew out, eyeing her mother's excited movements. "I said yes," she finally finished, proudly holding up her left hand to show her mother the ring on her finger.

"And I said yes as well," Maura quickly added, holding up her own hand to show her soon to be mother in law.

"Oh, my girls!" Angela squealed as she clapped her hands excited. "You said yes! She said yes! Everybody says yes! Oh, those rings look even better on you both than they looked in their boxes!"

"Wait, you saw the ring Maura picked out and managed to keep it a secret?"

"I went shopping with her and sat next to her as she designed it!" Angela gushed. "Just like I sat next to you while you designed her's! Oh, look at you two. You're going to be the most beautiful brides Boston has ever seen! Tell me which one of you proposed first? Who won your little race?"

"I beat Jane to the proposal," Maura beamed.

"Only by, like, a minute," Jane huffed as she fought back a smile. "I'm impressed she kept this a secret for as long as she did," she noted, turning to look at Maura.

"I have to admit that I am, too," Maura smiled. "And I also have to admit that I really think we should get off this call with her before she starts discussing color schemes and spend the rest of the night how we planned to," she added in a whisper.

"Alrighty," Jane said, looking back to her mother. "Maura and I are gonna give Constance and Richard a quick call and then call it a night. We'll update you tomorrow on everything. Love ya, see ya later, bye!"

With a knowing glance at her daughter and soon to be daughter in law, Angela bid Jane and Maura goodbye before reaching for her phone to begin sharing the news.

"Now," Maura grinned as she set her laptop on the bedside table before rolling to rest on her forearms above Jane. "I do believe we had some celebrating to do."

"I do believe you're correct, future Mrs. Rizzoli-Isles," Jane teased as her hands slipped under Maura's sweater to rest at the small of her fiancee's back.

"I love the way that sounds," Maura beamed before kissing Jane deeply. "I'll be right back," she whispered, moving her lips to nip at Jane's earlobe. "It would be wise of you to have significantly less clothing on when I return," she added before slipping off the bed and into the hallway.

Pouting slightly at the loss of her girlfriend, Jane did as instructed and tugged her jeans and sweater off, opting to remain in her simple navy cotton bra and panties as she waited for Maura. Closing her eyes, she relaxed onto the plush bed and closed her eyes.

She fell into content daydreams of her future wedding and life with Maura, only being brought from her mind when she felt a chilly substance on her stomach and goosebumps breakout over her skin.

"Didn't want to drink out of the glass?" Jane quipped when she saw the bottle of champagne resting on the nightstand and glass filled with the bubbly liquid in Maura's hand, the blonde's free hand holding her hair away from her lips as she lapped up the chilly liquid from Jane's belly button.

"Not particularly, no," Maura replied simply as she tilted her glass to fill the crevices of Jane's abdomen before quickly setting her glass down on the table and allowing her lips and tongue to roam over her future wife's muscles.

"Never really pegged you for the body shot kinda gal," Jane said, gasping with an arched back when Maura's tongue sent a jolt of pleasure straight to her clit.

"I must not be doing my job properly if you can still make sarcastic comments," Maura huffed as she raised herself to meet Jane eye to eye. "Are you going to continue with the sarcasm or allow me to have my way with you?"

"Nope," Jane stated before rolling the pair of them until she was resting above Maura. "Cuz I saw those strawberries you put on the side table and I have a really, really good idea on how to use them," she continued as she tugged Maura's sweater over her head and unclasped her bra with deft fingers.

"Nope," Maura repeated as she rolled them over once again to place herself atop the detective. "Since I won the race and proposed to you first, I get to chose how we start tonight off," she mused as she slid her hands beneath Jane to pull her bra off. "And I've been dying to know how delicious you taste mixed with strawberries."

* * *

"I know it's been two hours and we took a break from mind blowing sex to rinse off in the jacuzzi, but god do I still want you," Jane admitted as she and Maura sat in the flat's jacuzzi, the sparkle of the city's lights and their engagement rings reflecting off the water.

An arched eyebrow was Maura's reply.

"What's that look for?"

"Sometimes you still surprise me," Maura noted as she slid across the seat to settle herself astride Jane's lap. "With how honest you can be with me," she smiled before kissing Jane gently. "How intelligent you can be," she added before placing another kiss to Jane's lips. "How witty, and yet gentle and kind you are," she continued, placing kissing between each descriptor of her fiancee.

"You surprise me sometimes, too," Jane smiled as she wrapped her arms around Maura's neck.

"I suppose that's good, since we're getting married and will be together forever," Maura grinned.

"Still can't believe I'm marrying you," Jane beamed.

"And I still can't believe I'm marrying you," Maura grinned. "And if you scoot just a tad to the left, I'll show you something else you may think is unbelieveable."

Doing as instructed, Jane scooted herself, with Maura on her lap, until she heard a gasp from the doctor above her.

"The jets feel absolutely wonderful when positioned just right," Maura explained as she began to rock against Jane, the jets coming up from below mixing with the jets from behind to delight her still sensitive mound.

"Do you need-"

"No," Maura grinned as she opened her eyes to smirk at Jane. "All you need to do is sit back and enjoy the show."

Doing as told, Jane relaxed against the back of the jacuzzi and watched as Maura rocked herself against the firm abs of her soon to be wife, the jets aiding in her pleasure. Soft gasps and moans slipped past her lips as she rocked, and Jane was content to simply allow her hands to massage the outer parts of Maura's thighs. The doctor's skin was flushed red, and her forehead glimmered with the steam of the jacuzzi.

"God you're beautiful," Jane breathed.

"Yes," Maura breathed. "Keep talking to me."

"You're so beautiful," Jane repeated. "And once you make yourself come, I'm going to take you inside and have my way with you all night long."

"Oh God."

"Come for me, Maura," Jane commanded, hands coming to pinch hardened nipples exposed from the water. "Come for me, Maura Rizzoli-Isles."

As her orgasm hit her, Maura's body was powerless to stop the powerful tremors that wracked through her until she could do nothing more than slump against Jane.

"You're not passing out on me," Jane whispered in her fiancee's ear. "Not until we've had our way with each other all night long."

"Well then," Maura breathed as she slid off Jane's lap and stood up, an extra sway in her hips as she exited the jacuzzi. "Let's get inside and pick up where this left off?"

* * *

I'm so sorry for the wait once again. I just...I can't seem to do anything right now and I'm so sorry. I hope to work more on this over Christmas while there is down time at work.


	44. Chapter 44

**Still don't really have any desire to live, but onwards and upwards we go with Rizzles!**

**The flashback in italics takes place the day after Maura asks Angela for her permission to marry Jane, for the record.**

* * *

"And what else did you two do last night?" Richard asked, elevated slightly in his hospital bed with Constance clasping his hand and Jane and Maura sitting at his other side.

"Don't act like you don't know," Maura smiled, bringing her left hand up to allow her father to see her engagement ring. "Jane and I became engaged after a beautiful night at the top of the Eiffel Tower."

"I did know," Richard chuckled as he turned to Jane expectantly, smiling when the detective showed off her own ring. "Oh, my girls. You two are going to have the happiest of lifetimes together. I can't thank my lucky stars enough I'm going to see such a beautiful marriage."

"And see such beautiful grandchildren."

"Mother!"

"You've been talking to my Ma too much," Jane laughed as she gave Maura's quickly reddening cheek a kiss. "She's right though," Jane whispered before turning back to her soon to be in-laws. "Your daughter beat me to the question, by the way. Shocked the heck outta me."

"I told you I can be sneaky," Maura beamed as she once again laced the hand not holding her father's hand with Jane's.

"But my Ma being so sneaky is what really gets me," Jane noted with a laugh.

"She's quite sneaky, I assure you," Maura replied. "Kept my hopes to ask you to marry me quiet for some time."

"I'm sure Jane has told you of how she blurted out her hopes to ask for your hand, but do tell us how you asked Angela," Constance requested. "I would love to hear of her reaction."

"She actually thought me asking her was a dream," Maura laughed.

"Really?" Jane asked.

"Really," Maura confirmed.

* * *

"_Maura?"_

_The doctor's head looked up from where she had been sitting cross legged on the floor with Jo rolling around happily in her lap to see Angela looking at her with both nerves and hope in her eyes. _

"_Angela, please, come sit," Maura invited. "I've got some tea steeping in my kettle and I think you'll love it."_

"_Is Janie not here?"_

"_No," Maura said. "They finally got the man the entire department had been after for weeks and she was offered lead on the interrogation. So I suspect it'll be quite a long night for them."_

"_Speaking of nights…" Angela trailed off, sitting down on the couch near where Maura sat on the floor and placing her hands in her lap. "I had a dream last night, but if I've learned anything from Jane it's to trust your gut and my gut tells me this wasn't a dream. But I can't really be sure because, well, I am getting old."_

"_Did I have something to do with this dream?" Maura asked._

"_Yes," Angela stated. "In the dream, you came to the guest house and you...You asked if you could marry my Janie."_

_Jo must have sense Maura's nerves begin to flutter because she jumped off the blonde's lap and scampered to her doggie bed. _

"_Oh."_

"_Was that real, Maura? Or was that a dream?"_

"_It was real," Maura whispered. "I came to the guest house last night to ask for your blessing to propose to Jane and ask for your help picking out a ring for her. You said yes, and I though you truly were okay with me proposing but was that not what you wanted? Do you hope it was a dream? Because-"_

"_Oh, honey, no!" Angela interrupted, sliding onto the floor not so elegantly to be next to Maura. "Honey, I still would love very few things more than to be your mother in law and help you pick out a ring for my Janie. I just wish I hadn't been wearing my pajamas when you asked!"_

"_So, you're okay with me asking Jane if she'd like to marry me?" Maura asked, turning to Angela with hopeful eyes. "You're sure you're okay with the fact it wasn't a dream?"_

"_I promise you that I'm so much more than okay with you proposing to her," Angela promised. "I couldn't be happier than you and Jane are spending your lives together and finally are going to take this step."_

"_Only if she says yes."_

"_Only in your nightmares would she ever, ever say no to you!" Angela said with a pat to Maura's knee, laughing as Jo sensed the change in mood and jumped right back into Maura's lap. "She'll say yes. Might swear a little because she's our Jane who likes to swear and because you'll beat her to the proposal, but she'll say yes."_

"_She's the best thing to have ever happened to me and I can't imagine spending my life any other way than with her by my side."_

"_And I can't imagine her spending any other way than with you by her-"_

"_Maur?!" Jane's voice called from the doorway. "Maura!"_

"_Living room!" called Angela._

"_We got the son of a bitch! We got him! He confessed and I barely broke a sweat, all while Lieutenant Cavanaugh was watching me along with two other lieutenants from Major Crimes and from Drugs!"_

"_Love, that's so wonderful," Maura smiled as she stood up, laughing as Jane scooped up Jo and spun her around before pulling Maura in for a searing kiss. _

"_I'm sure that will look good should you ever decide to apply for Sergeant or Lieutenant," Angela noted, breaking apart the kiss to reveal to smiling women. _

"_Or for any sort of pay raise," Jane laughed as she let her dog down. "What're you two doing? Gossipping about me while I'm gone?"_

"_Oh, of course!"_

* * *

"So you really were gossipping about me!" Jane laughed.

"Not gossipping," Maura smiled. "Just...talking."

"You're lucky I love you so much," Jane huffed.

"How about a subject change?" Richard asked with a smile. "I'm simply dying to know what kind of cake you'll be having at the wedding!"

"Richard!" Constance laughed, swatting his shoulder gently. "They've been engaged for 12 hours!"

"A lot longer than that, just without the rings if you ask me," the Isles patriarch smirked.

"Well no one did ask you," Constance noted.

"We haven't discussed any wedding plans, but I have a feeling your taste buds will be taken into account, father," Maura smiled.

"Can we please have red velvet?" Jane asked, batting her eyelashes comically.

"We'll talk," Maura laughed.

"And can I please wear a Red Sox jersey?"

"No," all three Isles voices replied, though smiles were on all their faces.

'I thought at least one Isles was on my side!"

* * *

"Have I ever told you the best part about having an Isles family jet?" Maura asked once the captain announced they were at cruising altitude and they could roam the large cabin as they pleased.

"Uh, that we can head back home and not have leg cramps afterwards?"

"No," Maura laughed as she unbuckled her seatbelt and held her hand out to Jane, walking with the detective towards the rear of the plane and into a large room with a plush bed inside. "A bed."

"So we can work on those 15.21 days of cuddling, yeah?"

"Not the answer I was expecting, but a good one none the less," Maura smiled as she let go of Jane's hand and began to turn the covers down. Once they were, she looked up to see Jane in her sweater and simple white cotton briefs walking towards the bed and eyeing at Maura to do the same. Once she had shimmied from her own trousers, Maura curled into bed with Jane and laid face to face with her fiance, their legs instantly tangling together.

"Hi."

"Hi," Maura smiled, reaching up to brush the dimple that appeared on Jane's cheek. "Have I told you lately how much I love you?"

"Mmm, I think last night you did," Jane laughed. "But in all seriousness, yes, you have."

"Good," Maura hummed, closing her eyes in contentment after settling closer to Jane.

"And even more than telling me, you show me how loved I am every day," Jane continued, wrapping Maura tightly in her arms. "You show me unconditional love when I work late, when I'm yelling at the TV making a mess with my pretzels, when-"

"When you're passionately working on a job you love, when you're giving and giving and giving to our family and our friends and our city," Maura interrupted. "I love you always and forever. That's what your ring symbolizes."

"Your ring, too," Jane noted. "I can't wait to write a vow for you, and find a wedding venue we both love, and see you in a white dress, and stand in front of everyone we love to promise to love and adore and cherish you forever and ever and ever."

"And ever and ever and ever."

* * *

**Short updates are all I can seem to do right now. I'm sorry.**


	45. Chapter 45

**For those who are concerned, I do have both a therapist and a psychiatrist and I've been working with them to hopefully get me back to wanting to live. For now, I offer you Rizzles.**

**Also, the wedding venue is semi made up. The location is real, but the details I just made up.**

* * *

"Well?"

"Maur, come on. You know I'm a horrible decision maker."

"Not even!" Maura protested. "When you decide a perp is guilty, or that a reddish brown stain is blood, there's no stopping you. How is this any different?"

"Because it's our wedding cake," Jane said softly. "It's what we're going to share with our closest loved ones and save a tier in our freezer for our one year anniversary and feed to each other. It's gotta be perfect."

"You're such a softie," Maura smiled as she kissed Jane lightly, the baker having left them in the tasting room to determine their flavor without input from her. "I love it, and I love you."

"I love you, too," Jane smiled. "So, we have five flavors. Let's each say our least favorites and narrow down."

"And here I thought I was the methodical one," Maura laughed before turning to the sample plates in front of them. "I'm not fond of the strawberry cake. Pink just seems too much, even covered in white buttercream."

"I was gonna say the vanilla with butterscotch is my choice to kick to the curb," Jane noted, pushing both the strawberry cake and the vanilla back away from the others. "So now we have a red velvet with cream cheese filling and frosting, a champagne flavor with a light lemon filling, or chocolate with fondant."

"I think a chocolate is too simple," Maura noted. "But you did seem to enjoy it."

"I'd prefer kicking the chocolate out of the running than the other two," Jane said, smiling as Maura pushed the chocolate back leaving them with red velvet and champagne.

"Your pick for which one you like least is next," Maura smiled, wrapping her arm with Jane's. "Which one are you thinking for our wedding cake?"

"Four tiers, right?" Jane asked.

"Four square tiers with flowers cascading down from the top, starting at a deep red and fading out to white at the bottom," Maura confirmed.

"I vote we keep the champagne one," Jane stated after looking between the two. "The bubbly taste reminds me of the butterflies in my stomach I get when I think about marrying you."

"Such a softie!" Maura laughed before slowly pushing the red velvet away from the champagne slice they'd each taken a bite from. "That's going to be our wedding cake," she smiled as she looped an arm with Jane and rested her head on her shoulder.

"I'm not sure if it's the champagne making me feel all giddy inside or the fact that every day we're getting closer to our wedding," Jane admitted as she rested her head on the crown of Maura's.

"May 28th," Maura smiled. "We should get the cake baker so we can get to the venue for our formal walk through with the events manager."

"Well, then, future Mrs. Rizzoli-Isles, let's get to it!"

* * *

The two women clasped hands as they strolled through the Boston Public Library to the grand hall where they were meeting the events manager. After touring gardens, churches, and more, they had decided upon the Boston Public Library for their wedding and the grand hall with its two large staircases leading down to an intimate aisleway for them to exchange their vows had caught both women's eyes and they were quick to come to the decision they would be wed at the library.

"Good afternoon, ladies!" a man smiled as Jane and Maura entered the grand hall.

"Good afternoon," they both echoed.

"If I remember correctly you said you were coming from a cake tasting. Were you able to come to a conclusion about a cake?" the events manager asked as he shook both women's hands.

"We did, and boy oh boy I can't wait to have a full cake because have you ever had a champagne cake? That stuff is good!" Jane laughed.

"I've never had the pleasure but I've heard your sentiments echoed by many," he smiled. "Now, shall we discuss the ceremony and reception details? Your wedding is so close! I've never known brides to be able to book a wedding less than 4 months out and be as calm as you two are."

"Jane and I have been in synch for a very long time," Maura smiled. "It seems only natural that we find this planning process as calm as it has been."

"You two do seem to be quite a pair," the man smiled. "Now, have you given any thought to if you both will be walking down the aisle, if you'll be given away by your father, et cetera? We can adjust the aisle width to just one person or two, and of course the lining of the aisle can be a red carpet or any other of our carpetings, really."

Maura looked to Jane, softly squeezing her hand before beginning to speak.

"We won't be being given away by our fathers," Maura stated. "We were thinking of having Jane's mother walk with her mentor and the man officiating the wedding, Vince Korsak, followed by my mother and father, and then the bridal party. If we both plan to walk down the aisle traditionally or if one of us will wait at the altar is still up in the air."

"I think that sounds like a wonderful plan," the events manager smiled as he made notes in a padfolio as Maura spoke,

"I don't really want to stand up at the altar while Maura walks down to me," Jane admitted. "I mean, I always joke I'm the guy in the relationship but i don't actually want to take on that role. And I had an idea that I was hoping to run by you," she continued. "Run by both of you, actually, since I haven't had the chance to talk to Maura about it yet."

"Go right ahead."

"What if the music starts playing, ya know the traditional bridal march, and Maura and I are each at the top of one of those stairwells," Jane began, pointing to the two stairwells that curved outwards before meeting at the middle just a few feet from where the aisle would begin.

"And we walk down at the same time?" Maura asked.

"Yeah," Jane said. "The guests could turn around and see both of us walking down the stairs. And then, just like in real life, we meet in the middle. We walk alone down the stairwells alone, meet in the middle of the path, and then walk with each other together to the aisle and, well, to the rest of our lives together."

"I must say, Doctor Isles, you have found yourself a keeper!" the man laughed as he heard Jane's speech. "I think that is a brilliant idea, Jane. I'll make sure it happens."

* * *

As soon as the door was shut behind them, Maura spun around and pressed Jane to the back of the doorway, kissing her chilly lips fiercely.

"Shit," Jane gasped as she felt Maura tug her scarf off and toss it aside, yanking her coat open to begin kissing down Jane's neck. "Not that I don't love this, but wha-oh, fuck," Jane asked when Maura's hand came to cup her mound over her denim jeans.

"The way you spoke when we were at the venue," Maura explained as she dropped to her knees and began to work on Jane's belt. "It was beautiful and I've wanted to have my way with you ever since."

Jane's reply was lost as Maura undid her belt and, with deft fingers, unbuttoned her jeans and yanked them down. Looking up at Jane and making sure she had the detective's attention, Maura bit the top of Jane's panties and pulled them down with her teeth. Jane could only watch for a few moments before her head fell back against the door.

"Please," she breathed when she felt Maura's breath washing over her mound.

"What was that?" Maura teased, pressing a kiss to the pubic bone just above where Jane wanted her most.

"Please, Maura," Jane repeated.

Smiling, Maura pressed her face into Jane's folds and began to eagerly lap at the tangy juice that covered Jane's outer lips. It never ceased to amaze her how quickly Jane reacted to her touch and she smiled when she felt strong hands reach into her hair to hold it back. Knowing Jane was watching her, Maura redoubled her efforts and began to lick, suck, and nibble with fervor, moaning loudly at the taste.

"Right there," Jane said, her hands tightening subconsciously in Maura's hair to hold her to the spot that felt the best. "Right there, Maur."

Hearing her fiance so openly ask for what she wanted encouraged Maura and she took Jane's clit into her mouth and, after humming briefly around it, began to circle it with her tongue and occasionally allow her teeth to very lightly run over the swollen bud.

Jane's hips began to rock, riding Maura's face as she moaned into their house's entryway. She could only utter Maura's name and an assortment of swear words before gripping Maura's hair tightly and coming loudly, her back arching away from the door and towards Maura's tongue that still was working it's magic on her clit. It felt as though wave after wave of orgasm was hitting her and it wasn't until she pulled herself away from Maura's mouth did she begin to come down.

"Shit," Jane breathed as she slumped against the doorway.

"You got my face all messy," Maura teased, causing Jane to open her eyes and look down to see Maura's face shimmering with evidence of her powerful orgasm.

"I'd apologize but I have absolutely no remorse," Jane hummed contentedly. "Plus you look absolutely delicious right now."

"Well then," Maura smiled as she stood up and tugged off her own coat and tossed it to the side. "Care to clean me up, detective?"

* * *

**As always, apologies for the long waits and the shorter chapters. Reviews are lovely!**


	46. Chapter 46

**So sorry for the delay!**

**Go to my Tumblr at mama-ursula and search for Newlyweds FanFiction in the tags to check out the women's wedding dresses!**

* * *

"Oh, fuck. Oh, fuck, Oh fuck."

Jane couldn't help but grin around the rosy nipple currently between her teeth, her hips never stilling their thrusts to keep Maura begging for more. She had come to love the way Maura came delightfully undone when the strap on was involved and she didn't plan on stopping anytime soon.

"Jane," Maura gasped, the detective's thrusts into her keeping her just on the edge of what would be her fourth orgasm of the evening.

"Yes, baby?" Jane asked, letting Maura's nipple slip from her teeth before moving to whisper in her fiancee's ear.

"So close."

"Rub it out," Jane whispered in Maura's ear. "Rub it out and let me see you come again."

Nodding briefly, Maura let go of the covers she had been clenching in her fists to reach down and, after running her fingers along her slit where the strap on deposited a bounty of wetness onto her fingers, brought her fingers to rub frantically at her clit.

"Oh, God," Maura moaned. "Jane, I'm so close."

Redoubling her efforts, Jane began to quicken her thrusts and placed open mouth kisses down Maura's neck, the salty taste of perspiration lingering on her tongue.

"Come, Maura," Jane murmured, her abs burning with exertion.

It was with one final thrust that Maura acquiesced with fervor, her free hand coming to clutch at Jane's shoulder as her entire body tensed, mouth agape in a silent scream and eyes screwed shut. Her hips lifted as her right hand left her clit to grab at Jane's ass and hold her still before collapsing on the bed.

"Roll over," Maura commanded, her voice both shaky and raspy.

"What?"

"Stay inside of me, and roll over," Maura clarified.

"But it's nearly midnight, Maur. And you've got a big day tomorrow."

"I don't want to be done yet," Maura explained softly. "Please."

Doing as instructed, Jane rolled to the other side of the bed, bringing Maura with her to rest on top of her, the faux appendage never leaving the doctor.

"I can't wait to spend the rest of our weekends off doing just this," Maura sighed contentedly, beginning to roll her hips to provide stimulation for both she and her fiance.

"And tomorrow you'll be picking out the dress you'll wear to make our nuptials official," Jane smiled, her hands running up and down Maura's sides.

"And next weekend you'll be doing the same," Maura noted.

"And then in just about four months, we'll be wearing those dresses and eating champagne cake and wearing matching wedding bands and be officially Mrs. and Mrs. Rizzoli-Isles."

"Now if only someone would tell me where the honeymoon is going to be," Maura huffed.

"Are you really trying to get the top secret honeymoon destination out of me after I made you orgasm four times?" Jane asked.

"Worth a shot," Maura smirked before beginning to move her hips up and down, the dildo reaching far into her as she moved up and down. "You feel so good," she praised, hands coming down to massage Jane's breasts as well as keep herself steady.

"Shit, I love when you're on top," Jane breathed as the base of the dildo rubbed her clit, the friction on her already sensitive clit pushing her rapidly back up to climax.

"And I love being on top," Maura smiled, pinching Jane's stiffened nipples as she continued to ride the brunette. "Let me know when you're close," she instructed. "I want to finish together."

"It's not gonna take long," Jane warned as she felt her extremities begin to tingle.

"Fuck me, Jane."

Grasping at supple hips, Jane held Maura still as she began to piston her hips up and down, slamming into the doctor and causing both women to cry out at the pleasure. With the doctor's breasts bouncing in front of her and soft hands gripping her breasts, it only took a few more moments before both women were crying out a litany of gasps, swears, and the others name before both their bodies shuddered and went limp against each other.

"Jesus, it get's better every time," Jane breathed as she shakily moved Maura's hair off the doctor's sweaty back.

"And it's only going to go up from here."

* * *

"Don't leave me."

"Jane," Maura chuckled as she felt the detective pull her impossibly closer the next morning. "It's almost 9am and both of our mothers and your nephew are going to be here in an hour and a half."

"Don't care," Jane mumbled. "Wanna snuggle."

"You don't care that either your nephew or your mother will come looking for us and find us naked in bed with you still...strapped up?"

"You know you like it," Jane grinned as she wiggled her hips, the strap on still attached to her pressing against Maura's backside.

"I do," Maura admitted, rolling over in Jane's arms to face the detective, hands coming up unbuckle the straps to free Jane from the harness. "But I love you, my sweet Jane, just as you are even more."

Jane couldn't help but smile, receiving a quick kiss from Maura before the blonde pressed their bare torsos together and tangled her legs with Jane's.

"You're picking out your wedding dress, today."

"I am," Maura beamed, kissing the tan skin beneath her lips. "Which is why I should get up,make sure I'm ready to go, and then make breakfast for our family. TJ will never forgive me if there aren't chocolate chip pancakes for him."

"Fine," Jane sighed dramatically, loosening her hold on Maura. "But don't take forever in the shower because I'm not going the whole day smelling like sex."

"You know you like it," Maura teased, echoing the detective's earlier sentiment as she slipped out of bed and strutted to the en-suite, earning a comical wolf whistle from Jane.

An hour and a half later, on the dot, Angela came into the main house with TJ scampering in front of her and the front doorbell rang, signaling Constance's arrival.

"Aunt Jane!" TJ greeted happily, seeing a plate of strawberries in Jane's left hand and Jo's bowl of dog food in her right. "Can I feed Bass?!"

"Of course, little buddy," Jane smiled, carefully handing him the tortoise's food before setting Jo's food down for her to scurry to.

"Good morning, mother," Maura greeted as she gave her mother a hug. "I'm so glad we were able to make this work so you could be here today."

"I'd never miss my daughter picking out her wedding dress." Constance beamed.

"That'll be us next weekend, Janie!" Angela said happily.

"I've had the driver leave the car running since I assumed we'd have some champagne to celebrate, so shall we go?" Constance asked. "Our first appointment is in half an hour."

"Of course," Maura nodded, pulling her coat and winter accessories on before turning to Jane.

"Have fun today," Jane smiled, kissing Maura gently before tying her scarf. "Text me when you're heading home and I'll get TJ all amped up on sugar before passing him back to my ma."

"You're evil," Maura laughed, bidding goodbye to TJ and Angela before exiting her house with her mother.

* * *

It was at the second shop she and her mother visited when she knew she'd found her dress.

The first sign was the gasp of the saleswoman who was helping her slip in and out of the dresses.

The second was the way the dress fit her perfectly, even though it was off the rack and had undergone no alterations.

The third was the way she and her mother both choked up when they stood side by side in front of the multi-faceted mirror.

And the fourth sign was the way her father, coming up behind her in a last minute arrival to Boston, stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of his daughter in the ethereal gown, her hair in loose waves cascading down her shoulders in the same was the flowers cascaded down the dress.

"Father," Maura said, the lump in her voice clear as she turned on the pedestal to face the surprise visitor.

"If I promise not to step on your toes or the gown, is this a dress you think you would like to dance with your old man in?" Richard asked, reaching into his breast pocket to pull out a handkerchief.

A nod was all Maura could reply with.

Taking a few steps forward, Richard made his way to his daughter who, with the aid of Constance to help her off the pedestal, allowed her father to envelop her in a loving hug.

"You look absolutely breathtaking, my love," Richard whispered into Maura's ear.

"You'll really dance with me?" Maura asked, a tear falling down her cheek.

"Nothing would make me happier than to dance with you on your wedding day," Richard replied softly, pulling away to dab at the tear on Maura's face with his handkerchief. "Don't tell your mother, but I think you may even rival how beautiful she was on our wedding day," he added with a small smile.

Maura chuckled, and gave him one final hug before turning to her mother.

"Did you know he was coming?"

"I sent him a copy of the appointments we had scheduled today and encouraged him to try and make it as early in the day as possible, and what perfect timing he has," Constance replied as she kissed her husband's cheek.

"Well, my darling, is this the dress you'll be marrying Jane in?" Richard asked, gesturing to the saleswoman who was watching the encounter with shimmering eyes and encouraging Maura to turn back and look into her reflection.

"Yes."

* * *

"Ma. Ma! Ma!"

"Janie, we're in a boutique. You shouldn't shout."

"Well pay attention to me and I won't shout anymore," Jane said as she looked at her mother expectantly.

"I'm sorry, this just is so exciting! Finding the outfit my baby girl is getting married in. Oh, and there are so many choices for suits and accent pieces and-"

"I want to get married in a dress."

"You do?"

"Yeah," Jane smiled sheepishly. "I know it seems like a pantsuit is something I'd pick, but I want to wow Maura. And I guess deep down I really want to wear a dress. Not, like, a Disney princess ballgown, but something that will make me and Maura's special day even more special."

"Well, then let's start looking at dresses!" Angela beamed as she looped her arm with Jane and began to peruse the shelves of dresses.

The two women each pulled a few dresses from the racks, their designated saleswoman helping lift the dresses and bring them to Jane's dressing room. And shortly after Jane announced she wanted to wear a dress, she disappeared into the waiting room with the saleswoman to help her into the selected dresses.

The first dress made both Angela and Jane laugh, her barely there cleavage hiding beneath layers of lace and crystal beading.

The second dress earned a gasp from Angela but a shake of the head from Jane, the mermaid style making her feel as though she couldn't walk.

The third dress earned a maybe from both women, the simple strapless dress with a lace overlay fitting Jane's athletic frame snugly.

But it was on the fourth dress that Jane couldn't help but ask the saleswoman to exit the fitting room so she could have a moment alone to look at herself. The lace illusion neckline allowed her femininity to blend with her athletic build, the subtle lace laid over the a-line bottom of the gown, and the open back cut just right to hide her bullet scar from the headquarters shooting.

"Jane?" came Angela's voice from outside the fitting room.

"Sorry," Jane apologized. "Just needed a sec to look at myself. I'm gonna come out but I want you to just look for a minute, don't say anything. Just look."

"I can do that."

Stepping out of the fitting room, Jane walked to the pedestal and stood in front of the mirrors, looking back at her mother to gauge her reaction.

After a few minutes of silence, Jane finally spoke.

"I really like this one, Ma."

"You look so beautiful, Janie."

"I can see myself getting married in this. I can see myself walking down the library's staircases to meet Maura and walk down the aisle with her," Jane admitted softly.

"I brought this with me, just in case," Angela said as she pulled an old sash from her purse. "Your Nona wore this at her wedding, and I did at mine. Come down here."

Doing as instructed, Jane allowed her mother to begin weaving the sash into her hair, eventually finishing a simple braid pulled over Jane's shoulder with the sash woven in.

"A professional could do it better, but what do you think?"

Turning to look at herself, Jane suddenly felt a lump in her throat at the reflection she saw.

"This is it, Ma. This is what I'm getting married in."

* * *

**Once again, go to my Tumblr at mama-ursula and look under the Newlyweds FanFiction tag for links to their dresses. If you can't find them, I'll get them to you another way!**


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